Sergio Ramos joins Lionel Messi in leaving PSG

June 3, 2023 Times Europe

(R to L) Paris Saint-Germain’s Argentine forward Lionel Messi and Spanish defender Sergio Ramos attend a team training session at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha on January 18, 2023. (Photo by Mahmoud HEFNAWY / AFP)

French champion Paris Saint-Germain announced on Friday that veteran former Spain defender Sergio Ramos will join Lionel Messi in leaving the club at the end of the season.

Ramos, 37, arrived in French capital in 2021 after a trophy-laden spell with Real Madrid, lifting the Champions League on four time.

“We would like to express our immense gratitude to Sergio Ramos for the two years he has spent with us,” PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said in a statement.

“Sergio’s leadership, team spirit and professionalism, combined with his experience at the highest level, make him a true football legend, and it was an honor to have him in Paris.

“Everyone at the club wishes him all the best,” Al-Khelaifi added.

The announcement came less than 24 hours before PSG’s final game of the Ligue 1 season as they host Clermont.

Ramos follows Argentina’s 2022 World Cup winner Messi out of the Parc des Princes door with reports also linking Brazil’s Neymar with a departure.

“Tomorrow is a special day, tomorrow I will say goodbye to another stage of my life, goodbye to @psg,” Ramos said on social media.

“I don’t know in how many places one can feel at home, but without a doubt PSG, the fans, and Paris were one of them for me.

“Thank you for two special years in which I was able play in every tournament and give my all,” he added.

The ex-Sevilla defender won Ligue 1 twice in Paris, playing 57 games and his PSG contract will end on June 30.

44 of those appearances came this campaign after a first season, with Mauricio Pochettino in charge, was plagued by injury.

Ramos, who won the 2010 World Cup with Spain, and Messi arrived in the same summer eyeing a Champions League title with PSG but they were knocked out in the last 16 of both editions.

Messi has been linked with moves to Inter Miami and a club in Saudi Arabia as well as a return to Barcelona.

Later on Friday, newspaper L’Equipe claimed PSG boss Christophe Galthier will also say goodbye to the club after this weekend’s fixture.

Despite this year’s league title win, the failure in European competition is what Galthier has been judged on.

Reports say PSG is interested in bringing in Real Madrid attacker Marco Asensio for next season as well as Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar, as another summer of re-building is set to get underway.