Ramos says Real Madrid contract offer expired before he accepted

(Update 1: Re-ledes, alters headline, adds info, quotes.)

Madrid, Jun 17 (EFE).- Sergio Ramos on Thursday said that he was going to accept a one-year contract renewal and pay cut at Real Madrid but missed the deadline, which he had been unaware of.

At a press conference following a farewell ceremony in Madrid, Ramos said he had been offered a one-year contract extension with a 10% salary cut but that he had pushed for a two-year deal for “peace of mind.”

He said the negotiation was “never about the money.”

The defender said that he was going to accept the deal after some consideration but that his agent was informed last week that he had missed the deadline and the offer had been withdrawn.

“Nobody told me there was a time limit,” he said. “I respect it, but it surprised me.”

Earlier in the day, Ramos broke down in tears as he bid farewell to Real Madrid after 16 years, saying it was one of the toughest moments of his life.

He became emotional when he recalled arriving at the Santiago Bernabéu with his family having joined from Sevilla in 2005.

“I would like to thank the fans, they carried me in their arms at all times,” he said.

“I would have liked to have said goodbye in our stadium, in the Santiago Bernabéu,” he added.