Ramos steps up at Sevilla
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Article summary
Sevilla FC's talented Spanish Under-21 defender Sergio Ramos has signed his first professional contract.
Article body
Improved terms
The new deal is an improvement on the one-year extension he signed to his existing contract in September, which tied him to Sevilla until June 2008. His wages have been put on a par with his first-team colleagues, his buy-out fee has been upped from €18m to €27m, and he will no longer be eligible for the club's reserve side.
Exciting prospect
The 18-year-old right-back is regarded as one of the most exciting young players in the Primera División, having appeared in five of Sevilla's UEFA Cup fixtures this season.
International experience
A regular for Spain at youth level, Ramos was a member of the team that triumphed at the UEFA European Under-19 Championship finals in Switzerland in 2004. More recently, he has been playing for the U21s. Sevilla will face Panathinaikos FC in the UEFA Cup Round of 32 next month.