A Brazilian centre-half on the Blancos' books was enjoying working with a World Cup winner that has now dropped into the free agent pool
Eder Militao says it is "a pity that Sergio Ramos left Real Madrid", with the Brazilian defender disappointed to be no longer working alongside "a legend" at Santiago Bernabeu.
Efforts were made to keep a World Cup winner in the Spanish capital, but deadlines for contract extensions passed and an iconic centre-half is now preparing to head elsewhere.
Militao may be about to see the path cleared for him to take on a more regular role at the heart of Real's defence, but he would have preferred to have remained in competition with an all-time great.