Who are Real Madrid Most Expensive Signings in the history of the La Liga club? Los Blancos are renowned for breaking the proverbial bank in order to secure the signatures of some of football’s elite players.
With fourteen Champions League titles, it is safe to say that these big money signings have worked more often than not.
From Zinedine Zidane to Cristiano Ronaldo, los Blancos have splashed the cash on a number of high profile transfers.
The latest one being a €100 million deal for Aurelien Tchouameni from Monaco.
Real Madrid Most Expensive Signings
See 10 Greatest Real Madrid Players Of All Time Ranked as well as Real Madrid Academy In Nigeria – Eligibility, Fees, Benefits.
But who are the 10 most expensive signings in Real Madrid history? How many have justified their hefty transfer fees?
10. Eder Militao – From Porto in 2019 (€50M)
The transfer policy at Real Madrid has shifted towards investing in younger, emerging talents and Eder Militao was brought to the club in 2019 for a hefty €50 million.
After the departure of older superstars such as Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane in 2021, there were mounting expectations on Militao’s shoulders – as one of their most expensive signings ever, he had yet to prove his worth to Madridista supporters.
It remains unknown how the Brazilian defender will manage all this pressure but he will be hoping to show his true potential over the coming seasons.
9. Luis Figo – From Barcelona in 2000 (€60M)
Luís Figo was a revolutionary signing for Real Madrid, being the first piece of the puzzle in their ambitious Galáctico project.
A Portuguese right winger previously with arch rivals Barcelona, Figo’s transfer to Madrid caused widespread anger amongst Blaugrana fans. Despite the outrage, Figo excelled in Los Blancos’ colors.
In his five seasons at Madrid, he won two La Liga titles, a Champions League title and an Intercontinental Cup, and was even awarded 2001’s FIFA World Player of the Year.
8. Luka Jovic – From Eintracht Frankfurt in 2019 (€63M)
Luka Jovic was seen as a real coup back in 2019 when Real Madrid signed him from Eintracht Frankfurt for a hefty fee of €63 million.
The young Serbian talent was highly regarded, with seventeen appearances in the season he featured for Real Madrid, yet his career at the club was to be short lived due to an unfortunately timed heel fracture which caused him to miss much of his debut campaign and never fully recover.
Despite being seen as one of the best talents at Eintracht Frankfurt, Jovic ultimately did not live up to expectations at Madrid.
7. Kaka – From AC Milan in 2009 (€67M)
Kaka made history in 2009 by becoming Real Madrid’s seventh most expensive transfer of all time.
Already a highly-decorated player due to his impressive list of accolades, including a World Cup, Champions League, and Ballon d’Or award, Kaka was expected to elevate his game even further when he joined Los Blancos.
Unfortunately, it did not quite turn out as hoped.
6. James Rodriguez – From Monaco in 2014 (€75M)
James Rodriguez shot to international fame during Colombia’s standout performance in the 2014 World Cup.
This success led James to join Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid squad and made an immediate impact with 24 goal contributions across 29 league games.
Despite this fantastic start, by 2017 his production had declined significantly, leading him to be sent to Bayern Munich on a two-season loan.
Upon returning to Real Madrid he saw limited playing time until he eventually transferred to Everton in 2019 and he currently plays for Greek side Olympiacos.
5. Zinedine Zidane – From Juventus in 2001 (€77.5M)
Considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, Zinedine Zidane was a master of technique, accuracy and creative play.
In 2001, he was transferred to Real Madrid for the massive sum of €77.5 million.
During his time at Madrid, he helped the team win La Liga, the Champions League and the Intercontinental Cup.
He has also achieved success as a manager with Real Madrid creating a record three straight Champions League titles!
4. Aurelien Tchouameni – From Monaco in 2022 (€80M)
At just 22 years old, Aurelien Tchouameni is already making waves in the world of football with his €80 million move to Real Madrid.
His remarkable skills were noticed by Monaco who signed him from Bordeaux in 2020 for €18 million.
After unsuccessful efforts to sign Kylian Mbappe, Los Blancos snapped up Tchouameni instead and were not disappointed.
The French midfielder has fit in famously at the team, covering impressively for Casemiro’s sudden transfer to Manchester United, leaving behind a satisfied fan base that can only hope for even greater things from Tchouameni in the years to come.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo – From Man United in 2009 (€94M)
Cristiano Ronaldo is a household name in the football world, considered one of the greatest of all time and harkening from Portugal.
He joined Manchester United in 2003 for €19 million, hungry for glory upon his arrival to Old Trafford.
It is no surprise that with his professional work ethic, he rose to the heights of footballing success while playing under managerial great, Sir Alex Ferguson.
After years at the top of Real Madrid’s transfer fee list, Gareth Bale replaced him in 2013 as the most expensive signing.
Now at 37 years old, Ronaldo remains a prolific scorer and there seems to be no end in sight for his amazing career.
2. Gareth Bale – From Tottenham in 2013 (€101M)
Gareth Bale made history when he joined Real Madrid from Tottenham in 2013, coming with a hefty price tag of €101 million.
This transfer fee eclipsed Cristiano Ronaldo’s to make Bale the most expensive signing at Los Blancos at that time.
His impact was highly anticipated as he was set to go head-to-head with Barcelona’s formidable MSN frontline of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar.
However, after seven successful years at Madrid, Bale parted ways with the club this summer and is now playing for Los Angeles FC.
1. Eden Hazard – From Chelsea in 2019 (€115M)
Real Madrid shattered their club-record transfer fee when they signed Eden Hazard from Chelsea in 2019 for an eye-watering £115 million which makes him number one on Real Madrid most expensive signings. list
Expectations were sky high for the Belgian star, but his Los Blancos career has been marred by injury and he isn’t quite back to the level he once was at Stamford Bridge.
Although Hazard is gradually regaining his fitness it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to recreate that level of performance in Spain.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
