Leaving Real Madrid was not my decision - Ramos

Sergio Ramos reign at Real Madrid is a decision not made by him, the player has revealed.

The Spaniard says Real Madrid offered him a one year contract with a salary reduction yet he turned it down for economic reason and when he was ready after considering a few options, the offer was out of reach.

The 35-year old brought his 16-year stay at Los Blancos to an end and was hosted on a virtual press conference to bid farewell to fans.

Although Ramos refused to blame the club president, Fiorentino Perez for his decision to take the deal off yet he claims it was never his to leave Real Madrid.

“Many things have happened, circumstances that occur in life. The first thing I'd like to say is that I've never wanted to leave Real Madrid, I've always wanted to stay," Ramos explained during his farewell press conference on Thursday sighted on Marca.

"To give details and to be brief, I go back to the lockdown LaLiga title, which we won and celebrated. After that, the club offered me the opportunity to extend my contract, but because of COVID, it was put on the back burner.

"In the last few months, the club made me a one-year offer with a salary reduction. Money was never a problem; the president knew that I'd made clear that it wasn't an economic issue. It was a problem in terms of years; they offered me one year and I wanted two, it was stability for my family.

"In the last conversations, I said that I accepted and they told me that there was no longer an offer. I was told that even though I had agreed to the last offer that was on the table, I was told that it had an expiry date and I hadn't heard about it."

Sevilla is the speculated club hoping to reunite with their former defender although Ramos revealed he has not considered his next destination. He stressed welcoming a move to any other club apart from Barcelona.

We haven't thought about any team. Since January, when I came onto the market, there have been some calls [to] my agent, clubs interested, but I never thought about leaving Real Madrid," he commented.

"Sevilla are the other club of my heart and I had a wonderful time, but as of today, I am not considering that option, just as Sevilla are not considering it.

"As for Barcelona, it is a resounding no. You can be very calm [about that].

"I don't know if I will be returning to Spain or which team I will go to."