Why Real Madrid Must Resist Any Transfer Interest in Sergio Ramos

Sergio Ramos set off a flurry of transfer chatter with his comments in the wake of Real Madrid’s 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday. The defender was visibly frustrated by the penalty decision that went against him and let his feelings be known after the match.

“With every passing day I prefer the English Premier League," he said, as per AS. “What I am talking about? Obviously not about the ball boys…the style of play, refereeing.”

Chelsea (per Ben Jefferson of the Express), Arsenal and Manchester United (both via James Dickenson of the Express) have all previously been linked with Ramos, and it would perhaps be natural for him to want to seek a new challenge at this stage in his career.

But it must also be noted that his comments came just minutes after the final whistle of a match in which his side had toiled away to little effect and in which he felt a key decision had gone against him. There was little forethought behind his words.

Indeed, the majority of his public utterances suggest that he is more than content to remain at the Bernabeu. “My intention is to stay at the team that has given me almost everything,” he told Cadena Cope’s El Larguero program (h/t ESPN FC) in December.

BERNAT ARMANGUE/Associated Press

Ramos has become an emblematic figure for Madrid since his big-money move from Sevilla in 2005. He is the second-longest-serving member of the current squad and a real leader at the heart of the Madrid defence.

Club president Florentino Perez recently described him as “a man who epitomises the club’s values,” as per Ian Hawkey of Fox Sports.

While he is still prone to occasional rushes of blood and the odd moment of madness, Ramos has largely curbed the excesses of his younger years—including, as per Soccerway, six red cards in his first three seasons in Madrid—and developed into one of the best centre-backs in world football.

“He has everything that Paolo Maldini had,” Carlo Ancelotti told the club’s official website in June. “Personality, technical quality, the ability to lead on and off the pitch. At the moment Sergio is the best defender in the world.”

Ramos has also displayed a knack of rising to the occasion and providing Madrid with vital goals in the decisive stages of knockout competitions. He scored in both the semi-final and final of their 2014 Champions League and Club World Cup successes, including the last-minute equaliser that forced extra time against Atletico in May’s Champions League final.

He also has a key role to play in establishing the future of the Madrid defence. He is well-placed to oversee the transition from Pepe to Raphael Varane and could also act as a father figure to a promising young centre-back if the club elect to add to their defensive options this summer.

The Primera Division, Champions League, Club World Cup, European Championship and World Cup winner has a wealth of experience to be handed down to a willing recipient.

Public statements from Ancelotti, Perez and others show that Ramos is highly thought of at the Bernabeu and it seems unlikely that he will be allowed to leave the club unless he personally pushes for a move. His current contract expires in June 2017 and talks over an extension are ongoing.

Wednesday’s comments aside, Ramos has shown little indication that he is unhappy at the Bernabeu. Per Marca, he is delighted with the work being done by Ancelotti, while he recently described the year of 2014 as “the most important of my life,” as per Cadena Ser (h/t Reuters).

Ramos values Real Madrid and Real Madrid value Ramos. Until that changes, the club’s No. 4 shirt will continue to be worn by a player who was born and raised in Andalusia but is now very much an adopted Madrileno.