Confusion surrounds Sergio Ramos’ future after his mother yesterday refuted widespread reports he has told Real Madrid he wants to join Manchester United.

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Multiple British media outlets confidently claimed yesterday that Ramos has definitively stated he is determined to leave the Bernabeu and head to Old Trafford this summer.

The option of moving to Manchester City, who have also joined the race for his signature, is not seen as an attractive one for Ramos, who has supposedly urged Madrid to negotiate with United after an initial bid of €40 million (Dh164m) was tabled with a five-year contract worth around €11 million (Dh45m) per year on offer to the player.

However, the move was later thrown into doubt when his mother firmly stated in a brief but telling appearance on Spanish television – interviewed inside her car on the roadside – that her son has no intention of moving to England.

“Above all he wants to stay at Madrid, of course,” said Paqui Garcia Ramos, who is also the mother of Ramos’ agent, his brother Rene.

Pressed on the possibility of a move to Manchester, she added: “No, I don’t think so. He is Spanish, he wants Spain,” before driving away along a completely empty road to end an interview which looked suspiciously staged.

Perhaps not coincidentally, the TV network which managed to grab the exclusive interview with Ramos’ mother is the same organisation – Antena 3 – which employs the defender’s glamorous TV presenter partner Pilar Rubio, whose successful career would certainly be disrupted by a move away from Spain.

Ramos has made no public comment on his intentions this summer, but using family members without much subtlety as ‘leaks’ to reveal a player’s true feelings on sensitive subjects is a common ploy in Spain and South America.

Ramos’ mother – whose initials are tattooed on her son’s arm – is unlikely to have spoken so candidly to a national television network without prior family consent.

And the first public declaration from the extremely close Ramos family over the defender’s plans have certainly served to re-open the possibility that he is using United’s interest as leverage in his bid for a new contract at Madrid – partially to increase his wages but also to underline his status as an important player for the club.

One move into the transfer market by Los Blancos which does look like being completed in the coming days is the rapid return of former youth team product Lucas Vazquez from Espanyol.

The fast and direct right winger enjoyed a successful loan spell from Madrid with the Barcelona-based club last season, scoring three goals and being credited with six assists in 33 league outings.

Those performances prompted Espanyol to exercise their option to permanently sign the 23-year-old a few weeks ago, but at the request of new boss Rafa Benitez he is now set to return to the Bernabeu for a fee of €1 million (Dh4m)

“Madrid made us an offer,” revealed Espanyol president Jean Collet. “We negotiated and we have reached an agreement.”

Vazquez is likely to be little more than a squad player, but the disappointing season endured by Jese Rodriguez and Gareth Bale’s potential return to the left wing leaves Madrid are somewhat short of right-flank options, and he will have the chance to impress Benitez during pre-season.