Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has asked to leave on a free transfer, says club president Florentino Perez.
The Spain centre-back is contracted until summer 2021 but wants to take his career to the Chinese Super League.
Perez says he was told by Ramos, 33, and his agent they had received a “very good offer” from an unnamed club but that they could not pay a fee.
“I told Ramos that it was impossible for Real Madrid to let their captain go for free,” he said.
Speaking to Spanish radio station Onda Cero, Perez added: “They came to see me at the office and they told me that they had a very good offer from China but that the rules there do not allow them to pay the transfer.”
Ramos is Real’s longest-serving player, having scored 84 goals in 606 appearances since joining from Sevilla in 2005.
In that time, he has won four league titles and the Champions League on four occasions.
Ramos and Perez reportedly fell out after Real’s Champions League last-16 defeat by Ajax in February. He was charged by Uefa with “receiving a yellow card on purpose” in the first leg of that match, meaning he was suspended for the second leg.
