Paris Saint-Germain look set to win the race to sign Sergio Ramos on a free transfer following the end of his contract at Real Madrid on Wednesday after 16 years in the Spanish capital.
PSG are now said to be close to reaching an agreement with the 35-year-old after seeing reported competition from the likes of Manchester City and Bayern Munich.
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According to ESPN, Ramos and the Ligue 1 side are in “advanced negotiations”, with talks going on throughout the week and a final decision imminent.
However, there may be a sticking point. The Spanish international – who was left out of the country’s Euro 2020 squad after a damaged 2020/21 campaign – wants the comfort of a two-year deal, but PSG are only prepared to offer him a one-year contract with an option for another 12 months, while his Wages are also expected to be lower in the French capital.
The length of his contract was one of the reasons why Ramo’s time in Madrid ended, with the veteran defender obviously keen to secure his future until he is likely to put on his boots.
ESPN writes that Ramos was drawn to the “ambitious” project presented to him by PSG’s sporting director Leonardo, with the defecting French champions likely to do everything to regain their Ligue 1 crown and finally go all the way in the Champions League.
Ramos is close friends with Neymar / GABRIEL BOUYS / Getty Images
He is also believed to be adapting more quickly to life in Paris, with former Real Madrid teammates Keylor Navas and Angel Di Maria currently trading there.
Midfielder was not originally a priority area for reinforcement for PSG, but after allowing the apparently very skilled 36-year-old Thiago Silva to leave a year ago just to continue winning the Champions League with Chelsea, Ramos’ availability on a free is considered as an all-too-good opportunity to pass, while the defense is an area leader Mauricio Pochettino wants to strengthen.
The manager of Les Parisien is said to be keen for Ramos to give his wisdom to the club’s less experienced defenders Presnel Kimpembe, Marquinhos, Abdou Diallo and Thilo Kehrer, who are all still under 28 years old.
PSG have already made some wise moves this summer, with Gini Wijnaldum arriving on a free transfer from Liverpool, while the French giants close in on Milan’s Gianluigi Donnarumma – another free – and Inter Achraf Hakimi for around € 70 million.
