It doesn't quite feel like it, but it's been five years now that Ramires, fresh off his exploits at the 2010 World Cup, signed with Chelsea Football Club. All he's done since is win just about every trophy available to him, while making 200-plus appearances for Chelsea and scoring 34 goals. Two of those 34 were named Goals of the Season, including that chip against Barcelona at the Camp Nou in 2012. Even if Ramires doesn't do anything else again for Chelsea in his career, he will forever be remembered for that. But it sounds like we won't have to worry about his legacy just yet, as Chelsea are apparently in talks with the midfielder over a contract extension.
Ramires' attitude has impressed Jose Mourinho since his return in 2013 and the Special One is keen to reward him with new contract. [Mail]
— Chelsea HQ (@Chelsea_HQ) June 24, 2015
As initially reported by the Daily Mail and since picked up by the Telegraph and others, Ramires is set for a "bumper" new deal that presumably would involve a pay raise and another 4-5 years with the Blues. His current contract, the extension he signed in 2012, has two more years left at £55-65k per week (our FFP Database has £55k, the Mail claim £65k).
Ramires had been limited by injury this past season, but when healthy, he was a reliable if a bit limited option for our midfield. But his versatility and endless energy can provide invaluable tactical benefits, and it's due to these qualities that Mourinho preferred to use him ahead of other backups when either Nemanja Matic or Cesc Fabregas (or Oscar) were unavailable or off form.
Keeping the now 28-year-old veteran Ramires happy and locked in -- probably safe to call him a veteran at this point -- would become even more important if we were to lose Mikel, as it's been rumored lately.