Account
Chelsea Transfer News: Ramires Eyes 'Spectacular' Return Amid Latest Rumours
March 5, 2018
Former Chelsea midfielder Ramires has voiced his eagerness for a return to Stamford Bridge after swapping west London for Chinese club Jiangsu Suning in January 2016.
The 30-year-old Brazilian spent five-and-a-half seasons at Chelsea and has now revealed he wants to go back to the club before he retires from football, per Darren Lewis in the Mirror:
"Chelsea? I'll always have special affection for them and I want to play for them again before finishing my career. I know the doors of Stamford Bridge will always be open to me and that wearing their jersey again would be spectacular."
Ramires won five major trophies while at Chelsea: the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League in 2011-12, the UEFA Europa League in 2012-13, the Premier League and League Cup in 2014-15.
His departure to Jiangsu Suning for £25 million two years ago was something of a shock, although he had become a peripheral figure under interim manager Guus Hiddink, who had replaced the sacked Jose Mourinho.
Ramires is an accomplished central midfielder capable of making contributions in both attack and defence.
He could bolster a struggling engine room at Chelsea, where neither Tiemoue Bakayoko nor Danny Drinkwater has flourished since signing for the Blues last summer.
However, re-signing a former player who is now in his 30s would likely be viewed as a regressive move by Chelsea.
They are not enjoying the best of seasons and sit fifth in the Premier League after back-to-back defeats to Manchester United and Manchester City.
Head coach Antonio Conte seems set to depart Stamford Bridge in the summer, perhaps to take up the Italy national-team job once more, per La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t the Associated Press via the Guardian).
Whoever replaces the 48-year-old will be eager to bring in new players and develop a stronger squad, but Ramires is unlikely to be top of anyone's list of targets.