Real Madrid's 10 Most Expensive Signings Ever
From the first Galácticos stretch under President Florentino Pérez (2000-2006) to Pérez's second presidency (2009–2018), Real Madrid has never been afraid to spend whatever money necessary on high-profile players. Below are the top ten transfer fees Real Madrid has paid for players, with a couple you may have forgotten about.
10. Luis Figo - $64.8 million (from Barcelona, 2000)
Not many players have switched between rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid, with Portuguese midfielder Luis Figo the most famous. After five seasons with Barca, Figo moved to the Santiago Bernabéu in 2000, winning the La Liga title in his first season with the club. During his nearly five seasons, he won two La Liga titles, two Supercopa de España, and a Champions League winners medal before joining Italian side Inter Milan on a free transfer.
9. Luka Jović - $68.2.million (from Eintracht Frankfurt, 2019)
After a successful stint in Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt, 21-year-old Luka Jović made the big move to Real Madrid. After an average start to his debut season, injuries riddled his season, appearing just 17 times. Jović was loaned back to his former club, Eintracht Frankfurt, in January 2021 before signing with Fiorentina in 2022, ending a disappointing spell in Spain. The Serbian striker managed just three goals in 36 appearances for the club.
8. Kaká - $72.3 million (from AC Milan, 2009)
Kaká arrived at Real Madrid as one of the best players in the world, as his price tag suggested at the time. The Brazilian had won many individual and team titles before arriving, including the Ballon d'Or in 2007. After an excellent first season under head coach Manuel Pellegrini, injuries forced him to miss chunks of the 2010-11 campaign, but he won the La Liga title in his third season with Los Blancos. Kaká made 120 appearances for Real Madrid, scoring 29 goals, before returning to AC Milan in 2013 on a free transfer.
7. James Rodríguez - $81 million (from Monaco, 2014)
After a stellar 2014 World Cup for Colombia, which involved one of the most incredible goals ever scored in the competition, James Rodriguez made the big-money move from French team Monaco to Real Madrid. At the time, it was the fourth-most expensive transfer in the world. James never reached the heights of his first season with the club, with 26 goal contributions in 29 appearances. After five seasons with Real Madrid, Rodriguez had a two-year loan spell with Bayern Munich, then joined Premier League side Everton, where he reunited with head coach Carlo Ancelotti.
6. Zinedine Zidane - $83.7 million (from Juventus, 2001)
A year after Luis Figo signed for Real Madrid, the first wave of the Galácticos continued with French midfielder Zinedine Zidane arriving from Juventus. It was a world record fee at the time, and Zidane was worth every amount of that when he retired from football as a Real Madrid player in 2006. There were plenty of highlights from his five seasons with the club, but the 2002 UEFA Champions League volley goal against Bayer Leverkusen in a 2-1 win takes the prize.
Happy birthday Zinedine Zidane! 🎂
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) June 23, 2021
A Real Madrid icon as a player and a manager! 🏆
Only one goal to share here. The finest volley you will EVER see in a #UCL final.
The technique is just out of this world! 🙌#beINUCLpic.twitter.com/xwtnMHb8DY
5. Aurélien Tchouaméni - $86.4 million (from Monaco, 2022)
One of the more recent signings, Aurelien Tchouameni, could see his transfer fee rise if specific add-ons are met. A defensive midfielder, Tchouameni has risen rapidly since his senior debut for Bordeaux as an 18-year-old to a guaranteed starter for Real Madrid. The Frenchman is not a flashy player, but if he stays with the club for several seasons, he could be one of the most significant signings for Los Blancos.
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - $101.6.million (from Manchester United, 2010)
Arguably the best Real Madrid player of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo spent nine seasons with the club after his record transfer fee from Manchester United in 2010. At least 80,000 fans attended his presentation at the Santiago Bernabéu. Ronaldo is the all-time leading goalscorer for Real Madrid, scoring 450 goals in just 438 Real Madrid appearances, a total that may never be beaten. He also scooped many titles and awards, including four Ballon d'Or awards. Ronaldo signed up for Juventus in 2018 for $126.5 million, the highest transfer fee ever paid by an Italian side.
3. Gareth Bale - $109.2.million (from Tottenham Hotspur, 2014)
Another big signing from the Premier League, Gareth Bale, arrived from Tottenham Hotspur in another record deal at the time. Bale had a mixed relationship with the Real Madrid fans, especially in the final few seasons. However, the Welshman provided some of the best highlights in recent times, including the famous overhead kick goal in the 2018 UEFA Champions League against Liverpool, one of five Champions League medals he won with the club.
Every kid's dream is @GarethBale11’s reality 🙌
— 433 (@433) July 16, 2019
Imagine scoring THIS in a @ChampionsLeague final 🤯 pic.twitter.com/4Tod57i4gL
2. Jude Bellingham - $122.million (from Borussia Dortmund, 2023)
The current English golden boy, Jude Bellingham, joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2023 at the age of 19-years-old. Heading into his second season with Los Blancos, Bellingham has already captured a La Liga title and a UEFA Champions League trophy in his debut season. The future is unknown, but at such a young age, he could be one of the greatest to wear the famous white shirt.
1. Eden Hazard - $130.4.million (from Chelsea, 2019)
The most expensive signing in Real Madrid's history was Eden Hazard from Premier League team Chelsea in 2019. Despite the hefty transfer fee, Hazard never got off the ground at the club. Injuries and a decline in form resulted in four seasons to forget, scoring seven goals in 76 appearances. Hazard announced his retirement in October 2023, three months after leaving Real Madrid at 32 years old.
