Sergio Ramos reveals how close he came to joining Man Utd
- Ramos almost joined Man Utd in 2015
- The defender instead signed a new deal at Real Madrid and went on to win another three Champions Leagues
- Ramos now plays for La Liga side Sevilla
Sergio Ramos has revealed he was close to signing for Manchester United during his successful tenure at Real Madrid.
The legendary centre-back is widely considered one of the greatest defenders of his generation, having scored a quite astonishing 133 goals during his storied career. Ramos enjoyed the best and longest spell of his career at Real Madrid where the defender won four UEFA Champions Leagues and five La Liga titles.
Having left Madrid after 16 years with Los Blancos, Ramos enjoyed a two-year stint at Paris Saint-Germain before rejoining boyhood club Sevilla during the summer.
Reflecting on his career in an interview with the Daily Mirror, Ramos revealed he turned down the opportunity to join Premier League giants United back in 2015. The defender had been heavily linked with a move to the Red Devils during the summer transfer window, but opted to sign a new contract with Madrid instead.
Speaking about the rumoured move, Ramos revealed: "I stayed where I should have stayed, Real Madrid, but I was indeed close to playing for United.
"It was not to be, but I do keep that admiration for the club, to the Premier League and the players, because the rhythm of play, the pace is different, and it's a league we can all learn a great deal from, all of us.
"So that was not meant to be. I was glad to stay in Madrid, and now I'm glad to be in Sevilla."
Speaking about his return to boyhood club Sevilla, where he started his senior footballing career way back in 2004, Ramos insisted the decision to return was made with his "heart".
He added: "This was a debt I had to my club, to Sevilla, the first team where I triumphed. This is also a personal debt towards my family, my parents, my grandparents.
"This is a very personal decision, a decision made with the heart. It was the ideal time to do this and I never thought about the option of going anywhere else when the opportunity of coming here came up."
Ramos has featured in four La Liga games for Sevilla thus far this season, with the club currently sitting in 15th in the league table.