Real Madrid news has been dominated by Sergio Ramos in recent years and that looks set to continue according to Marca.
Ramos is said to be unhappy with the conditions Madrid are offering him upon which to renew his contract, which expires this summer. Reports suggest the Andalusian is looking less and less likely to commit to Los Blancos.
This isn’t the first time negotiations have hit a hitch only for the problems to eventually be smoothed over, but something about this time feels different. Should Ramos choose to move on from the Santiago Bernabeu, he doesn’t have the same options he would have had five years ago, for example.
Ramos is now 34 and commands a huge salary, two factors that are prohibitive in finding potential employers for the centre-back. Also, given the proximity of the Qatar World Cup, Ramos needs to continue playing in the elite to remain in La Roja coach Luis Enrique‘s thoughts. China seemed a likely destination a couple of years back, but salary limits recently brought into the country has closed the door on a move.
The possibility of Madrid bringing in Bayern Munich’s David Alaba complicates the situation somewhat as it provides Zinedine Zidane with a ready-made, world-class replacement. The Austrian could then be complemented by the recruitment of an up-and-comer like Pau Torres of Villarreal.
The upcoming months will be intriguing, and one could easily imagine Ramos and president Florentino Perez kissing and making up before tearfully committing to retiring at the club. On the flip side, there’s the chance that neither Ramos nor Lionel Messi could be playing in La Liga next season. Time will tell.
