Headlines have been filled with reports about the allegedly growing animosity between Real Madrid CF management and their captain, Sergio Ramos. Contract negotiations about a possible extension have fallen through and it is now believed that Ramos is set to leave. However, fans are still hoping that something could be sorted out after hearing about a recent phone call made by club president Florentino Perez.

Marca reports that despite the standoff concerning the contract extension, Perez did reach out to Ramos in recent days to check on his condition. It may be remembered that the centre back underwent a knee surgery last week.

The operation came after Ramos had been struggling through pain in recent weeks, forcing himself to soldier on to try and help the team have a successful season. It is believed that he even played through the pain during Real Madrid's Supercopa de Espana defeat against Athletic Club.

When the club was also eliminated out of the Copa del Rey in the same week, the call was made to finally push through with the needed surgery. Ramos is now sidelined for several weeks, but Perez has reached out to him as a sign of the personal relationship that they still have.

The call focused more on Ramos' recovery, and the task at hand which is winning the UEFA Champions League and defending the Spanish La Liga title. It s not clear if the contract extension was discussed at all.

As the weeks pass, it is becoming more clear that there is no progress that is being made in connection to the contract which expires at the end of the season. While Ramos is a very important figure in the club, this won't be the first time that a club legend was left with no choice but to depart under less than ideal circumstances.

However, many of them have found their way back like prodigal sons. Some examples from recent memory are Santiago Solari and Raul who both took charge of Castilla, with Solari even having a short stint as first team manager. Guti, Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo Nazario all worked with the club again in some capacity, while Iker Casillas has also returned as part of the club's foundation.

If Ramos ends up leaving at the end of the season, it remains to be seen if he will eventually come back to the fold when his playing years are over.

Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos is entering the final months of his Real Madrid contract AFP / JORGE GUERRERO