Sergio Ramos to stay with Real Madrid despite claim of offer from China
The Real Madrid captain, Sergio Ramos, pledged his future to the La Liga side on Thursday, after saying he had received an offer to join a club in the Chinese Super League.
Ramos, Madrid’s longest-serving player, called a snap news conference to clarify his situation after the Madrid president, Florentino Pérez, said in a radio interview on Monday that Ramos had told him of an offer to move to China on a free transfer.
“There was an offer, but I wouldn’t leave Madrid for a transfer fee or for free. I love this club and I want to retire here,” Ramos said.
“I don’t want to leave Real Madrid, I always said my dream was to retire here. A lot of stories have come out about me, so I wanted to clear up any doubts about my situation.”
Pérez has said it would be “impossible” to allow Ramos to leave Real Madrid for free after claiming the defender has told him of an attractive offer from a Chinese Super League club.
China’s football authorities have placed a 100% transfer tax on overseas players and if the 33-year-old had left to join the unnamed club it would have been for free.
Pérez told the radio station Onda Cero he had spoken with the club captain about the offer. “Sergio Ramos has not been in my house nor I in his – they came to see me at the office,” Real’s president said.
“They told me they had a very good offer from China but that the rules there do not allow to pay the transfer. I told Ramos it was impossible for Real Madrid to let their captain go for free. I do not give it more importance.”