Lisandro Martinez is likely to leave Manchester United, and the former Premier League champions have identified his replacement, a fresh report said. Argentine centre-back Martinez is expected to leave at the end of the season, if not during the January window, and United want Como's Jacobo Ramon to be his replacement.
Aged 21, Ramon is tall and stout. He was among the standout performers when the two sides met in the UEFA Champions League in October. The right-footed centre-back combines physical dominance with the capability to build attacks from the back. The 1.96m-tall youngster has the pace to cover ground and recover when opponents get behind the defensive line.
He likes to step out of the defensive line, anticipate passes to forwards, and engage attackers before they can turn. Ramon is comfortable receiving possession, progressing the ball, and playing forward passes through the opposition's midfield.
Real Madrid academy graduate Ramon is contracted to Como until 2030. After joining Cesc Fabregas's squad in 2025, his current market price is estimated to be around €45 million. However, Real Madrid still hold a 50 per cent sell-on clause and buy-back options.
Antonio Rudiger and Eder Militao are not the players they used to be, and Real Madrid may opt to make further defensive signings. Ramon's exploits in Serie A may convince them that there is no need to look any further. In that case, United will find it hard to land the defender, despite being a clear favourite among all English clubs interested in him.
Real Madrid are seriously considering activating that clause next summer, TEAMtalk said in a report. In that case, Los Blancos would place themselves in the driving seat and force any Premier League bidder to negotiate with the Spanish giants rather than Como directly, the report added.
Earlier this week, Manchester United staged a stunning comeback to recover from its worst start to a European home game by beating Roma 3-2 in the Champions League.
United's troubled season looked set to plunge deeper into crisis after going 2-0 down after 17 minutes against Roma. It was the quickest United had conceded twice in any European game at its iconic stadium.
But a rousing second-half performance saw Bruno Fernandes convert a retaken penalty and Matheus Cunha score twice before being sent off to seal a much-needed win for under fire coach Michael Carrick.
