Will Sevilla regret not taking up Sergio Ramos’ generous offer?
The centre-back is willing to accept whatever Sevilla can afford, given the salary limit issues. Opinions are divided as to whether Ramos should return.
With hours left until the registration period for the Champions League expires, one player who could theoretically occupy a youth slot in the squad alongside Jesús Navas will not appear on the A list which Sevilla will submit to UEFA on Monday - Sergio Ramos. Unless there is a total turnaround of events, the defender will sign for either Galatasaray or Al-Ittihad.
The chance to continue competing in European football’s top club competition with his first club is understandably appealing for a player like Ramos - as is the siren song from Saudi Arabia, and an economic offer that is hard to resist. But returning home is not about the money for the 37-year-old.
So much so that, given Sevilla’s salary limit problems, Sergio even asked how much money they would be prepared to pay him. Such is his desire to return to the club where he started out, a call which he has been waiting for all summer - while turning a deaf ear to offers from MLS, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, all of them economically enticing.
With the new league season already underway and the realization that the team has serious problems at the back, fewer and fewer Sevillistas would reject Ramos’ return - no matter how much resentment exists for the ex-player’s rude behaviour in recent visits to the Sánchez Pizjuán. Those who still think that he shouldn’t return are in the minority. But time is running out and not even a catastrophe in today’s game against Atleti at the Metropolitano seems capable of making the leaders reconsider.
A good number of Sevilla fans and even people within the club think that Sevilla could be making a mistake by snubbing Ramos. Especially seeing as the economic risk would be minimal, since Sergio is willing to sign for a single year and leave any renewal clause in terms of games played and/or objectives achieved. Then there is the factor that Sevilla does not yet have a main sponsor this year - something that could undoubtedly accelerate the arrival of their prodigal son.