Sergio Ramos' Real Madrid contract showdown enters crucial phase

It won't be long before Sergio Ramos enters the final 100 days of his current and possibly last contract with Real Madrid CF. The first team captain's contract expires this summer, and he has yet to accept the club's latest offer.

To be clear, Ramos has reportedly not rejected the said offer which according to Marca, involves a 10 percent pay cut much like the rest of the squad. However, the offer is only for a single season, and the Spaniard is interested in a much longer deal. Given his age and in light of his recent injuries, the club is not interested in a long-term deal.

As such, the two parties have found themselves in yet another standoff. Ramos has been with the club since 2005 and has worked his way up to the captaincy and is now one of the most important players in the squad. If a deal isn't reached soon, the club will need to start thinking about how to move forward without Ramos.

They have had a glimpse of this scenario, with Ramos having been sidelined since the middle of January. He returned for two matches last week, only to be rested again after sustaining another knock.

Ramos had made it clear in a recent interview that his loyalty to the club can't be questioned. However, he also admitted that he is not able to give any good news in relation to his contract. Links with other potential suitors have been on the down low, which indicates that other clubs are honouring a pact of no aggression that has been agreed between some of Europe's most influential teams.

Ramos has technically been allowed to speak to other clubs since January, but he himself has not shown any interest in completing a transfer elsewhere. The relationship between Ramos and club president Florentino Perez remains to be good, and it gives fans hope that an agreement will be reached soon.

The next few weeks will be crucial, with the club still fighting for both the UEFA Champions League and La Liga titles. If Ramos can remain fit and prove himself crucial in the upcoming matches, he may just be able to sway the contract negotiations in his favour. If he is sidelined by more injuries, he might be forced to accept whatever offer is already on the table.