GOODBYE MADRID....HELLO ARSENAL?

 

When an inspirational captain up leaves his club, he pulls tears from the eyes of diehard fans of his and his club.

Fans don't love their captain leaving. They want them to retire at the club and possibly take a coaching job with the youth team and develop to eventually handle the main team someday.

Perhaps this informed the outrage over the threat by Lionel Messi to leave FC Barcelona last season. Football has witnessed great captains like Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini respectively retiring at AC Milan. Same with Francesco Totti of AS Roma among others. But not all captains retire at their clubs.

Sergio Ramos is one of such captains. He is indeed Captain Fantastic. He has made things happen in Real Madrid severally and in several ways. He has won laurels, trophies, medals and honours for this great club.

Arguably, he is the most successful captain of the club since it began winning trophies especially at the continental level in the mid 50s.

He has won everything there is to be won in club football and even at national team level. But this piece will focus on his club football. He is an enigma. A leader both on and off the pitch. He is a source of inspiration to the younger generation. No one would have thought that Ramos will be leaving.

Perhaps there is no motivation again hence, he chose to leave particularly when the ovation is loudest. It is time to seek more glories perhaps in foreign lands. He is still thirsty of glories despite winning all that is available in club football. He has been adjudged the best defender in some occasions especially in the last few years of his stay in Real Madrid.

Iker Casillas left the club as captain just like Raul Gonzalez....and now Ramos is leaving too. But the difference between the exit of Casillas and Raul and his is that both were asked to leave by Jose Mourinho who declared them surplus to requirement. But in Ramos case, he decided that he has had and seen enough of Real Madrid.

There were pressure on him to stay but, his mind was made up particularly when Real Madrid wasn't ready to meet his new demands. The club thought that his age doesn't place him on a good bargaining podium.

Now, reports suggest he is eyeing London....Arsenal to be precise according to reports from Spain and England. Many ask why Arsenal? Sure it is a big club that needs the experience and hunger of players like Ramos to break the 15 year old jinx of winning nothing but the FA Cup in 2020.

Ramos has the leadership quality Arsenal require presently among the players to push the club especially from the defence line to go all out and win something tangible considering that they are just focusing on the EPL and FA Cup next season. They need to bounce back to top four and qualify for the Champions League again.

Chelsea got 35-year old Brazilian central defender, Thiago Silva to boost the club's defence and serve as a team leader aside Cesar Azpcuielta. The player came from PSG and just in his first season, he won't he Champions League. That could be the thrust for Arsenal if they land experienced Ramos.

But will Ramos want to play just the EPL.and FA Cup which he is not sure of winning with Arsenal? Can he remain at the club for another two seasons when he would be 37 to test top flight continental competition which he is used to in Real Madrid?

These are the questions standing between Ramos and Arsenal. But in football anything can happen. The player may let go all those considerations because he has actually won everything before his likely arrival at the Emirates. But will Arsenal bring him on without the urge and desire to propel them to win something soonest?

It appears the talk of Ramos moving to Arsenal is just one of those speculations of and in the transfer market. Another report say Liverpool want him to pair Virgil Van Dijk as the Reds seek another glorious run next season.

The Liverpool move may sound more believable considering the fact that they are hungrier of winning trophies than Arsenal....more so, they are already in Champions League, where many agree Ramos belongs