Possible future captain but needs to work on his temperament
Real Madrid signed Sergio Ramos in the summer of 2005, paying his 27m Euro (plus VAT) buy-out clause to prise him away from Sevilla, even though he was only 19. The transfer made him the most expensive defender in Spanish football history and the first Spaniard signed by former president Florentino Pérez. Despite the huge fee, few grumbled.
A phenomenal athlete, Ramos has gone on to be an integral part of the Real Madrid side and a man tipped to be a future captain of the club, winning two league titles and the European Championship with Spain. Has played at centre-back and even on rare occasions as a central midfielder but is normally employed at right-back, because of his ability to get up and down the line and deliver telling crosses.
Is strong in the air and a real danger from set-plays: scored four in 2005-06, and five in the next two seasons. But his performances dipped at the back end of the 2007-08 season and at the start of the 2008-09 season he complained that he was left all alone on the right wing, was forced into doing too much and forever got the blame when things went wrong.
Physically, he is struggling, while he has also been frustrated at Real Madrid's failure to offer him a new contract (even though his current deal does not run out until 2013). Has also developed a worrying tendency to get himself sent off for foolish challenges and has already picked up more than 10 career red cards.