It's official: Sergio Ramos is leaving Real Madrid

Sergio Ramos is no longer a Real Madrid player. This was officially announced by the Royal Club, and a press conference will be held on Thursday at 12.30. The experienced defender’s contract will officially expire in two weeks, but the final decision has already been made – he is leaving after an incredible 16 seasons at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The reasons for the parting are clear. Real Madrid offered their captain only a one year deal, with a 10% reduction in income, while Ramos demanded that the contract should be signed for at least two years. However, the club didn’t want to accept that. Tomorrow's press conference will be held at the Valdebebas Sports Center, home to all the younger categories of the Royal Club, which is still called La Fabrica. President Florentino Perez will attend the press conference.

Sergio Ramos arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu on the last day of August 2005. In a full 16 years at the Madrid club, he played 671 official matches, scored 101 goals, set up 40 and won as many as 22 trophies. He was the European champion with the Royal Club four times and the same number of times he was crowned with the world club crown. There are also five Spanish championship titles.

Monchi believes Ramos is in talks with Real Madrid regarding an additional one-year stay

Ramos came from Sevilla to Real for a record when it comes to Spanish defenders of 27,000,000 euros. He took number four from the legendary captain Fernando Hierro. Today, he is the fourth player in history with the most championship games in the Real Madrid jersey (469 games) and the second in the number of trophies won (22) together with Sanchis and Marcel, and only Paco Gento is ahead with 23 trophies won.

If he is not wanted in Real, he is in other clubs. Ramos is the target of Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, and his former club Sevilla is also in the game, and they offered him a five-year contract, a salary of 7,000,000 euros and the role in the club at the end of career.