Real Madrid president Florentino Perez on Tuesday confirmed that the club captain Sergio Ramos has asked the club for a free transfer so that he could play in China.

Monday saw the Spanish TV network La Sexta broadcast a story saying Ramos, his brother and lawyer had met Perez to ask to be allowed to leave. Speaking on radio station Onda Cero in the early hours of the morning the Madrid president said it was true, while also confirming he had rejected Ramos' request.

"They came to see me at my office and they asked if he could leave, but without paying a fee as transfers are complicated in Chinese football," said Perez.

"I told him that he couldn't go and that we would talk to the Chinese club. It is impossible for Real Madrid to allow their captain for nothing because it would set a terrible precedent," he added.

33-year-old Ramos has a contract which lasts until 2021 and a buyout clause set at 800 million euros, which rules out any club buying him without speaking to the club.

Perez also discussed other possible signings, saying that Chelsea's Belgian international Eden Hazard would probably arrive this summer.

"I am very interested in Hazard coming, I am not going to deny that I have been very interested in Hazard becoming a Real Madrid player," he commented, although he refused to confirm interest in other possible targets such as Kylian Mbappe, Neymar or Eintracht Franfurt forward Luka Jovic.