da marjack bet: Real Madrid have made transfers worth almost €2.3 billion that defined modern day football
da dobrowin: One of the greatest football clubs in history, Real Madrid have never shied away from making big-money moves in the transfer market.
The beginning of the new millennium saw them being nicknamed 'Los Galacticos' when they brought in at least one big superstar in every summer transfer window between 2000 to 2006.
After the end of that era, Real Madrid continued to spend big at times, even if they were slightly more frugal for a few years between 2015 and 2019.
They then broke the bank on Eden Hazard, before going into savings mode again as they aimed to bring in both Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.
Alas, they missed out on both as Haaland joined Manchester City and Mbappe signed a new deal with Paris Saint-Germain.
With cash to burn, Madrid then turned to Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni instead in 2022, before adding another superstar to their midfield in June 2023 when they secured the services of Jude Bellingham.
Real Madrid most expensive transfers by season
Season
Most expensive signing
Fee
Total spending
2023/24
Jude Bellingham
€103M/£89M
€107M/£92M
2022/23
Aurelien Tchouameni
€80M/£72M
€80M/£72M
2021/22
Eduardo Camavinga
€31M/£27.90M
€31M/£27.90M
2020/21
None
Nil
Nil
2019/20
Eden Hazard
€115M/£103.50M
€355.50M/£319.95M
2018/19
Vinicius Junior
€45M/£40.50M
€164.75M/£148.28M
2017/18
Theo Hernandez
€24M/£21.60M
€40.50M/£36.45M
2016/17
Alvaro Morata
€30M/£27M
€30M/£27M
2015/16
Mateo Kovacic
€38M/£34.20M
€92.90M/£83.61M
2014/15
James Rodriguez
€75M/£67.50M
€126M/£113.40M
2013/14
Gareth Bale
€101M/£90.90M
€175.50M/£157.95M
2012/13
Luka Modric
€35M/£31.50M
€38.50M/£34.65M
2011/12
Fabio Coentrao
€30M/£27M
€56M/£50.40M
2010/11
Angel Di Maria
€33M/£29.70M
€93M/£83.70M
2009/10
Cristiano Ronaldo
€94M/£84.60M
€258.50M/£232.65M
2008/09
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
€27M/£24.30M
€82.20M/£73.98M
2007/08
Arjen Robben
€35M/£31.50M
€118M/£106.20M
2006/07
Mahamadou Diarra
€26M/£23.40M
€103M/£92.70M
2005/06
Sergio Ramos
€27M/£24.30M
€89.50M/£80.55M
2004/05
Walter Samuel
€25M/£22.50M
€58.70M/£52.83M
2003/04
David Beckham
€37.50M/£33.75M
€37.50M/£33.75M
2002/03
Ronaldo
€45M/£40.50M
€45M/£40.50M
2001/02
Zinedine Zidane
€77.50M/£69.75M
€77.50M/£69.75M
2000/01
Luis Figo
€60M/£54M
€121.95M/£109.76M
TOTAL
€2,4b/£2,14b
*All figures are taken from Transfermarkt unless stated otherwise.
Also read:From Cristiano Ronaldo to Casemiro – How Real Madrid made over €1.4 billion in player transfer salesReal Madrid's top 15 most expensive player signings16Mateo Kovacic | €38 million/£34.20 million | Inter | 2015
Real Madrid were in search of a central midfielder in the summer of 2015 as they aimed to add to their options alongside Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro.
It's definitely not an easy task for any player to match these three greats in terms of ability, but Madrid felt Kovacic was the man for the job and spent €38 million (£32.40 million) to lure the Croatia man away from Inter.
The midfielder spent three seasons at Real Madrid and after failing to find his place at the club, Kovacic was loaned to Chelsea in the summer of 2018.
His impressive performances for the Blues eventually led them to buy him for €45m (£40.50m) in 2019.
AdvertisementGetty Images15Ronaldo Nazario | €45 million/£40.50 million | Inter | 2002
One of the greatest footballers to have graced the beautiful game, Ronaldo Nazario made the move from Inter to Real Madrid in 2002, just over a month after lifting the World Cup with Brazil.
The Brazilian superstar cost Los Blancos €45 million (£40.50 million) at that time and formed an integral part of the Galactico era being built by Florentino Perez.
Ronaldo made 177 appearances for Madrid in his career, scoring 103 goals and assisting 34 during his five years at the club.
Getty14Vinicius Jr | €45 million/£40.50 million | Flamengo | 2018
One of the best signings made by Real Madrid in recent years has to be Vinicius Jr.
The Brazilian wonderkid arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu at the tender age of 18 and has gone on to establish himself as one of the best players at the club ever since.
Without doubt, Vinicius' biggest contribution at Madrid has been his all-important goal in the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League final against Liverpool.
A pacy winger with a keen eye for goal, Vinicius is definitely justifying his €45 million/£40.50 million price tag.
Getty Images13Rodrygo | €45 million/£40.50 million | Santos | 2019
Brazilian wonderkid Rodrygo joined Real Madrid from Santos in 2019 for €45 million (£40.50 million).
Joining the club as an 18-year-old, Rodrygo was being termed as 'the next Neymar' in Brazil.
The winger came off the bench to save Madrid with two late goals against Manchester City in the 2021-22 season, sending them to the Champions League final.
Madrid then went on to beat Liverpool in the final, with Rodrygo's compatriot Vinicius Junior scoring the winner against Jurgen Klopp's men.