(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Sergio Ramos, the former Real Madrid stalwart considered one of the best defenders in the world, has signed a two-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain, the French club said yesterday. Ramos, 35, won the Champions League four times with Real and is a World Cup winner and a two-time champion of Europe with Spain.
The veteran, who has won a European record 180 caps and scored 23 goals for his country, arrives with PSG desperate to add experience to their squad for another assault on an elusive first Champions League title.
PSG sporting director Leonardo has also brought in Dutch midfield star Georginio Wijnaldum from Liverpool and Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi from Italian champions Inter Milan and the club has been heavily linked with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who will line up for Italy against England in Sunday’s Euro 2020 final.
The Qatari-owned club also hope the significant investment will persuade France striker Kylian Mbappe to sign a new deal beyond 2022.“It’s a big change in my life, a new challenge and a day I shall never forget,” Ramos said in a PSG statement.
“I am proud to be a part of this very ambitious project and to join a team with great players. It’s a club which has already proved itself at the highest level with solid foundations. I want to continue to grow with Paris and help the team win titles.”
PSG lauded him as one of the world’s most decorated defenders, noting individual distinctions including UEFA naming him Europe’s best defender in 2017 and again in 2018.“Sergio is a complete footballer, one of the best defenders in history. He is a born competitor, a leader and a great professional,” said PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi, who saluted Ramos’“wealth of experience and his ambitions (which) are in perfect harmony with those of the club.”
Ramos, who cut his teeth with Sevilla before joining Real in 2005, played almost 500 league games for Los Blancos, marshalling their defence for 16 seasons and winning La Liga five times.
Ramos started out at his home-town side of Camas, just across the Guadalquivir river, on a pitch where now there is only dirt and wild flowers. The young Ramos would go on to join Sevilla’s academy aged 12 and by 17 was knocking on the first team door before Real lured him away still aged just 19 for 27mn euros ($32mn dollars).
MENAFN09072021000067011011ID1102418937
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.