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Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos set to snub MLS and Liga MX in favour of Galatasaray move

The former Spain international is in talks with the Turkish champions after a switch to Club América fell through over wage demands.

The former Spain international is in talks with the Turkish champions after a switch to Club América fell through over wage demands.

Sergio Ramos’ rumoured move to Besiktas is off the cards but it appears as if the former Real Madrid defender is set to end up in Türkiye anyway. After leaving Paris Saint-Germain, the 37-year-old is still without a club despite receiving a contract offer of €23 million ($24.9 million) per year from Saudi Arabia.

Why has Ramos turned down a move to Saudi Arabia?

Ramos’ partner, Spanish TV presenter Pilar Rubio, is not keen on living in the Gulf state, however, which is why he has been biding his time as he weighs up his next move. Speculation had linked him with a switch back to first club Sevilla, who appear to have no intention of offering him a deal.

Sergio Ramos
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Sergio Ramos left PSG this summer after two years in the French capital. NICOLAS TUCATAFP

Attempts by Rene Ramos, the player’s agent and brother, to drum up interest from Europe’s biggest leagues haven’t borne fruit, while moves across the pond to MLS and Liga MX’s Club América are now also off the cards, as things stand.

The Champions League condition Ramos’ next club must meet

The most realistic option currently on the table for Ramos is linking up with Galatasaray, who are battling to qualify for the Champions League, a competition the defender knows very well after winning it on four occasions with Real Madrid. The Turkish champions must defeat Norwegian club Molde in the playoff round to make it to the group stage and have set themselves the target of reaching the quarter-finals of this year’s edition. Ramos only wants to play for a club in the Champions League, which means their progression is crucial if they want to have any chance of taking him to Istanbul.

What are Ramos’ wage demands? How much have Galatasaray offered?

Ramos is looking for a two-year contract worth a total of €15 million ($16.2 million), which is more than the Turkish club have been willing to offer so far (€5 million/$5.4 million per season, with a bonus at the end of the second year). However, the club is optimistic that qualifying for the Champions League would convince the former Spain international to sign on.

Ramos won the Champions League four times with Real Madrid.
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Ramos won the Champions League four times with Real Madrid. Matthias HangstDIARIO AS

AS has discovered that negotiations between the two parties are at an advanced stage and that there is a good chance an agreement will be reached in the coming hours and days. Ramos himself is said to be keen on the move, with former PSG teammate Mauro Icardi, who completed a permanent transfer to Galatasaray this summer after spending 2022-23 on loan in Istanbul, having done his bit to convince the defender.