For a while it seemed as though Chelsea getting linked to Sergio Ramos was set to become an annual tradition. There aren't many teams with the financial firepower to lure Real's biggest players away from the Bernabeu, after all, so when said players want raises there are only so many bogeymen their agents can use to get enough leverage for a new contract. For several years, Chelsea were Ramos' go to, until the rumours finally stopped in summer 2011 thanks to a six-year contract extension.
We will look upon the four years of peace and prosperity that followed as a golden, blissful time of Ramos non-rumours, for now they appear to be making a comeback. The Telegraph are claiming that the centre half is unhappy at Real thans to the arrival of Rafa Benitez, and furthermore are talking about 'links' with Chelsea. Those links may or may not exist, but Ramos' agent is certainly talking the requisite amount of vague crap to lead us to believe that they'll materialise sooner or later:
For now he still has two years of contract. We await the call of the club but Real Madrid have not called me. For now there are no talks. Perhaps it is best if he doesn't finish his career at Real Madrid but at another club. We never know. Football is changing so fast – you must enjoy the moment.
Only two years left on his deal? That means it's time to start negotiating a new contract! And so the bogeyman is being dusted off again. It is of course impossible to rule out genuine interest from Chelsea in picking up Ramos, but we have enough history here to be permanently skeptical of this rumour.
Now we just need the Hulk-to-Stamford-Bridge chat to come back. Then it'll really be a summer.