The soap opera that is Sergio Ramos‘ contract negotiations with Real Madrid has been rumbling on all season and looks set to continue. Both parties have opposing stances regarding how to move forward, with economic strife the reason the club are looking to reduce their captain’s salary. One of the financial weights affecting the club, according to a report in Diario AS, is the €30m gross that Gareth Bale earns per season.
If Bale is still with Madrid next season, as looks to be the case, it could have a serious impact on the dressing room. Ramos and Bale share a similar salary, despite the fact that the former has played 668 games for the club while the latter has been injury prone throughout his spell in the Spanish capital. Lucas Vazquez could also protest with a grievance given the volume of football he’s played for the club this season especially.
Ramos has pushed himself to the physical limit, this season and every other campaign, while at the same time figures like Eden Hazard, who are in the same salary range, downplay their absences through numerous injuries. Hazard has missed a higher percentage of football than Bale and is also earning in the region of €28m gross per season. In that regard, if Ramos does re-sign with the club and agrees to lower his salary, it will be to pay for the likes of Bale and Hazard.
