Real Madrid needs to settle the Sergio Ramos issue

Real Madrid CF ended the 2020/21 season without a single piece of silverware. For a club of such high calibre, a second-place finish in La Liga and a UEFA Champions League semi-final appearance are simply not enough. As such, big changes are expected and the fate of captain Sergio Ramos is the first that needs to be decided.

Ramos watched the final match of the season from the bench of the Estadio Alfredo di Stefano after having been injured for most of 2021. He was unable to contribute in the final crucial stages of the campaign, and Real Madrid needs to decide if they want to risk another season that may pass in the same way.

The Spaniard's current contract expires in June, and he has not accepted the offer that the club had presented back in January. It is understood that he is being given a one year extension alongside a 10% pay cut like most of the other players.

Florentino Perez is a man who makes tough choices for the benefit of the club, and it seems unlikely that he will make any changes to the previous offer. Other than Ramos, manager Zinedine Zidane is also expected to leave given the lack of silverware.

According to Marca, Zidane will be meeting with club management in the coming days and an announcement is imminent. Following the decision on Zidane, the club can then start looking at the changes they need to make within the squad. Zidane if he stays, or his possible replacement will surely have a say in the summer transfer window.

Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe is a prime target, but Los Blancos need to sell a number of players to generate the funds needed to secure the Frenchman. It is pretty clear that Eden Hazard is at the top of the list of players that are up for sale.

Lucas Vazquez has also failed to reach an agreement with the club on his renewal, and may be on his way out alongside the likes of Raphael Varane, Isco and Marcelo.

David Alaba is expected to arrive this summer, with the club also recalling a number of young players who are currently out on loan.