Why Real Madrid Cannot Afford to Lose Defensive Leader Sergio Ramos
"Sergio Ramos is not for sale," was the chant that rang around the Bernabeu, roughly 2,000 Real Madrid fans using Iker Casillas' awkward second farewell to voice their displeasure at club president Florentino Perez. Four days earlier, a smaller group of approximately 600 had stood in the same spot, chanting "De Gea, De Gea" as Danilo was unveiled in the Spanish capital.
Those events, you might say, didn't really produce the desired atmosphere. Still, they were revealing, and possibly even constructive for the club's hierarchy: What the fans want is abundantly clear. The funny thing is that the club itself wants the same; Real Madrid want Ramos to stay and David De Gea to come. But desires and realities are two very separate things.
In this political mess that's descending into murkier waters by the week, Real Madrid look as though they can only have one of the two diamonds they covet. It's either Ramos and not De Gea, or De Gea and not Ramos. Manchester United won't budge; they want one or the other as well.
Here at Bleacher Report, we called United's transfer stalemate with Real Madrid a "power struggle." At Marca, it's been dubbed the "Cold War." Essentially, if Real Madrid want De Gea, they'll have to give up Ramos to United—a cost the Spanish outfit doesn't want to pay. But if that equation sounds simple, the wider situation is growing more complicated. So let's try to break it down.
The Saga
Last month, Ramos informed Real Madrid of his desire to leave, seemingly dissatisfied with the breakdown in negotiations over a new contract and an immensely strained relationship with Perez, according to the Guardian's Sid Lowe. Using Real's interest in De Gea as leverage, United then tabled a €50 million bid for the defender, per AS, despite Madrid having set the price prohibitively high at €90 million—essentially a gesture to say he's not for sale.
Concurrently on the other side, United have stood by their demand of €40 million for De Gea, a figure also prohibitively high for a player with less than 12 months remaining on his contract at Old Trafford and who will be a free agent next summer. Thus, you have a "power struggle." But here's where it gets complex.
Despite having agreed to personal terms with De Gea, Real Madrid had essentially looked resigned to the fact they'd have to wait until next summer to sign the Spanish goalkeeper. As such, the now-departed Casillas has been replaced by former Espanyol gloveman Kiko Casilla, the man brought to the capital to provide competition for Keylor Navas in the possibility that De Gea doesn't arrive.
At the same time, it's appeared that Real Madrid had hoped an improved contract offer to Ramos (Spanish radio station Cadena SER, via the Independent, reported the figure to be €7.5 million per season), the honour of the captaincy and Rafa Benitez's high praise would quell Ramos' dissatisfaction at the Bernabeu, thereby prolonging his stay and simply leaving Real to wait patiently for De Gea. However, Ramos' stance hasn't changed.
On Tuesday, AS reported that Ramos remains committed to leaving, adding that Perez has been forced to schedule a meeting with the 29-year-old to discuss his future when Real Madrid arrive in China for the second leg of their pre-season tour. Furthermore, the Madrid-based daily reports that United have tabled another bid of €60 million for Ramos, with the defender having reached a verbal agreement over personal terms with the English club.
Are United gaining a footing in a war they once seemed certain to lose? It seems that way.
Indeed, according to El Pais, one of Spain's most reliable outlets, Real Madrid harbour concerns over the ability of both Navas and Casilla to successfully replace Casillas, and feel the signing of De Gea is now necessary to quell the dissatisfaction among fans stemming from the club icon's unceremonious exit. Additionally, Perez has been advised to sell Ramos because of the tension his ongoing presence could stir, given that his relationship with the club is perceived to be irreparable.
Thus, Real Madrid aren't ruling out negotiations with Manchester United, given that the sale of Ramos would allow them to make a deal for De Gea.
For United, the latest developments have served to justify the club's strong stance, simultaneously causing Madrid's conviction in their own position to wobble fractionally. As recently as last month, it seemed United were about to lose De Gea for a paltry figure this summer or for free this time next year. Now, the Old Trafford outfit is potentially edging closer to landing a significant piece in return. It's a major turnaround.
Ramifications for Real Madrid Regarding Ramos
Right now, the possibility of losing Ramos is a very real one for Madrid, but also one that, on many levels, the club can't afford to have transpire.
From a playing perspective, the Andalusian's departure would be an enormous blow. He's played more than 400 games for the club, has won everything there is to win, stands unquestionably among the continent's five finest centre-backs and was the decisive figure in Real Madrid's capture of La Decima.
Ramos also embodies the essence of Real Madrid like no other. Passionate, iron-willed, he's unique in Chamartin. He's ferocious, courageous. A leader. A put-a-team-on-his-back kind of guy. A sort of modern personification of madridismo.
But there's also more to this than on-field elements.
Selling Ramos to United would mean Real Madrid lose their captain and vice captain in the same summer—two of the club's three most iconic players gone in the same window. That's not an image you want to give out, not when it could leave behind a leadership vacuum.
Additionally, selling Ramos now to land De Gea—a keeper whom the club can sign for free in 11 months' time—totally undermines the recent purchase of Casilla, and at the same time makes last summer's successful pursuit of Navas absolutely pointless.
Again, the message that sends to players around Europe is far from positive, a message Paul Pogba's agent, Mino Raiola, described in March when speaking with L'Equipe (h/t ESPN FC): "Real Madrid are a club that is used to buying players like you buy a facecloth—and then throws them away like a facecloth. We don't want to go to a club like that."
Naturally, De Gea would significantly boost the quality of Real Madrid's squad. He's an outstanding gloveman, an answer to one of the major issues Los Blancos have had. But parting ways with Ramos and immediately alienating a new signing is too big a cost. There's nothing wrong with waiting a year; De Gea is just 24.
What's more, ready-made replacements for Ramos aren't abundantly found. Marca says Valencia's Nicolas Otamendi tops Real Madrid's "wish list," but the Argentinian's signing would pose problems. Otamendi, a non-EU player, would take Madrid's number of such players to five, with James Rodriguez, Danilo, Lucas Silva and Casemiro already residing at the Bernabeu. UEFA's limit is three; two would have to go.
Among other candidates, Valencia's Shkodran Mustafi is a fine defender but, in style, isn't at all a like-for-like replacement; Real Sociedad's Inigo Martinez, once a long-term target, has regressed; Athletic Bilbao's Aymeric Laporte, like Raphael Varane, would constitute a project. There's no obvious answer if Ramos were to depart.
It's why Real Madrid can't really afford to lose the Spaniard. The club would be letting go of its new captain. A leader. Part of its identity. A degree of its lustre. It's an act that would reverberate around Europe, perhaps awarding a sort of psychological victory to Manchester United and damaging Real's often perceived we-get-what-we-want reputation in the transfer market.
Thus, while the reports say Real Madrid's relationship with Ramos might be irreparable, the club should be looking to do all it can to defy those reports. Real Madrid need Sergio Ramos.
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