Real Madrid’s top 10 biggest sales of all time; Cristiano Ronaldo, Angel Di Maria & more
Los Blancos have earned big profits through the sale of some of their star players over the years.
Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid are a top destination for the sport’s top players and are without a doubt one of the world’s most successful clubs.
Whether it’s Kylian Mbappe, Ronaldo Nazario, Cristiano Ronaldo, or Zinedine Zidane, Los Blancos have always had a charm in their lineups that frequently surpasses that of their competitors.
Even though they are known for their lavish squads and exorbitant transfer costs, they have also developed into a team that is adept at extracting the maximum amount of money from their undesirable players.
As a result, over the past ten years, the Spanish capital team has made more money from transfer sales than the majority of the greatest teams in Europe.
We take a look at Real Madrid’s ten greatest sales ever:
10. Gonzalo Higuain – €39m (to Napoli, 2013)
Although his later years in Europe did not stand out, Gonzalo Higuain’s early years into his prime did. He was a reliable goal scorer.
Higuain served as a rotation option for Real Madrid in his first two years after joining from River Plate at the age of 18. Nevertheless, even though he had only turned 20, he scored 22 league goals in the 2008–09 season and 27 the following year.
He did, however, share games with Karim Benzema from 2010 to 2011. Higuan was eventually sold in 2013. He made 132 starts for Real Madrid and scored 107 league goals overall.
9. Raphael Varane – €40m (to Manchester United, 2021)
With the departure of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane, Real Madrid’s two most important defenders from the previous ten years, the summer of 2021 marked the end of an era.
Man Utd took advantage of the Frenchman’s contract at Real Madrid expiring in 2022 to sign him for a very reasonable €40 million.
8. Robinho – €43m (to Man City, 2008)
The 2008 summer transfer window’s biggest surprise was Robinho’s move to Manchester City. On Transfer Deadline Day, the Brazilian, who finished the 2007–08 season with 15 goals and 12 assists for Real Madrid, was transferred to Manchester City. He was Sheikh Mansour’s first acquisition as City’s owner.
7. Achraf Hakimi – €43m (to Inter, 2020)
It was anticipated that Achraf Hakimi would eventually return to Real Madrid and play a significant role in the first squad following a fruitful two-year loan at Borussia Dortmund. Instead, they decided to sell him to Inter right away.
Hakimi played 17 games for Real Madrid before Los Blancos chose to cash in during the 2020 summer transfer window. This was done since he was far more suited to a wing-back position than a standard full-back.
6. Mateo Kovacic – €45m (to Chelsea, 2019)
Mateo Kovacic joined Chelsea on loan at first, but in the summer of 2019, the deal became permanent. After leaving Inter, he played for Real Madrid for three seasons. But he never made more than 20 league starts in a single season.
He actually only made ten league starts in 2017–18, which led to his departure.
5. Mesut Ozil – €47m (to Arsenal, 2013)
Both players and supporters were furious when Real Madrid allowed Mesut Ozil to join Arsenal in 2013. In fact, Cristiano Ronaldo stated that he was “angry about Ozil leaving” since “he was the player who best knew my moves in front of goal.”
Despite showcasing his skills for Arsenal, Ozil never won another league championship until retiring in 2023, leaving him a world superstar.
4. Alvaro Morata – €66m (to Chelsea, 2017)
In 2017, Chelsea paid a hefty price for Alvaro Morata, despite Antonio Conte’s desire to sign Romelu Lukaku.
After returning to Real Madrid from a successful stint at Juventus, Morata scored 15 league goals in 2016–17. But he only started 14 league games and was obviously not the team’s first choice.
Due to his remarkable scoring rate considering his playing time, Real Madrid managed to persuade Chelsea to pay €66 million.
3. Casemiro – €70.7m (to Man Utd, 2022)
Casemiro has to be considered one of the best transfers ever made at the Bernabeu. After nine years, more than 300 appearances, and five Champions League trophies, the Brazilian left for a cost more than ten times higher than when he first arrived in Madrid as a young player from Sao Paulo in 2013 for €6 million.
Meanwhile, the midfielder made a name for himself as one of the best players in his position in the world. Many people think that Los Blancos chose the ideal moment to sell him. He was 30 years old when he was sold by Madrid.
2. Angel Di Maria – €75m (to Man Utd, 2014)
He was named ‘Man of the Match’ in the Champions League final, his final match for Real Madrid. But the team chose to sell Angel Di Maria to Manchester United in 2014.
Before joining Juventus on a free transfer in 2022, Di Maria spent six trophy-filled years at Paris Saint-Germain after being sold by United just a season later.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo – €117m (to Juventus, 2018)
The most financially sound departure for Real Madrid is also one of their record-breaking acquisition. The success of Los Blancos in the 2010s was largely down to Cristiano Ronaldo. It is amazing business to have turned a profit on him at the age of 33.
Ronaldo received four Ballon d’Ors, two ‘The Best’ trophies, and sixteen club honours in Spain. He scored more than 30 goals for nine consecutive seasons and set a record of 101 Champions League goals for Real Madrid, more than any other player at a single club.
He is perhaps Los Blancos’ best player ever, having scored 450 goals for the team overall.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.
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