Atletico Madrid's 10 most expensive transfers of all time

15 Aug 2024 12:27 BST |
Updated: 24 Sept 2026 16:10 BST |
6 min read

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Atletico Madrid may not have the pedigree or spending power of Barcelona or Real Madrid, but they are still known as one of the richest clubs in world football.

The Spanish giants have consistently fought for LaLiga glory during Diego Simeone’s time in charge, which has been possible thanks to numerous smart signings.

Below, FootballTransfers runs through the 10 most expensive Atletico Madrid transfers of all time.

10. Cristian Romero – €40m (from Tottenham, 2026)

After a five-year spell at Tottenham Hotspur, Cristian Romero departed the club in 2026 after pushing to complete a move to Atletico Madrid.

Arsenal were also linked with a shock move for the Argentina star, but Atleti secured his signature after finalising a €40m deal for the Spurs captain.

Romero left Tottenham having made over 150 appearances for the club since his move from Atalanta.

9. Morten Hjulmand – €40m (from Sporting, 2026)

In addition to Romero, Atletico also signed Morten Hjulmand for €40m in 2026, with the midfielder arriving following an eye-catching stint with Sporting CP.

The Denmark star was courted by Manchester United before his eventual move to Madrid, but Atleti were quick to agree a deal amid their pursuit of a new midfielder to replace the ageing Koke.

Hjulmand had spent three years at Sporting before his move to Atletico, with the Portuguese giants earning a tidy profit after signing him for just €19.5m from Lecce.

8. Radamel Falcao – €40m (from Porto, 2011)

At his peak, Radamel Falcao was arguably the best striker in world football and thankfully for Atletico Madrid fans, his peak came during his time with the Spanish giants.

Following a fruitful spell at Porto, Atleti splashed €40m on the Colombian in 2011 and he instantly proved to be value-for-money.

Falcao scored 70 goals in just 91 appearances for Atletico Madrid and he helped the club win the Europa League during his debut campaign – his second consecutive triumph in the competition after winning it with Porto in 2011.

He left to join free-spending Monaco for €43m in 2013.

7. Conor Gallagher – €42m (from Chelsea, 2024)

After loan spells at Charlton Athletic, Swansea City, West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace, Conor Gallagher finally broke into the Chelsea first-team under Thomas Tuchel, before becoming a key player following the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino.

The England midfielder cemented himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet under Pochettino, but he was swiftly placed in the Chelsea ‘Bomb Squad’ after the arrival of his successor Enzo Maresca.

Atletico Madrid emerged as his most likely destination and he eventually completed a permanent move to the Wanda Metropolitano, with Joao Felix moving in the opposite direction. In January 2026, after 18 months at the club, Gallagher was sold to Tottenham Hotspur.

6. Alex Baena – €42m (from Villarreal, 2025)

A Villarreal academy product, Alex Baena racked up 148 appearances for his boyhood club and he established himself as one of Spain’s most talented attacking midfielders during this time.

Across his final two seasons at the club, Baena registered 24 La Liga assists and this convinced Atletico to part ways with €42m to bring him to the club in 2025.

Baena won the World Cup with Spain after his first season with Atleti.

5. Antoine Griezmann – €56m (from Real Sociedad, 2014)

Antoine Griezmann’s initial move from Real Sociedad to Atletico Madrid cost €30m and he proved to be an absolute steal at that price as he established himself as an integral player under Diego Simeone.

His form for Atleti soon attracted the attention of Barcelona and Griezmann completed a blockbuster move to Camp Nou in 2019. Due to a sell-on clause inserted by Real Sociedad, however, Atletico were forced to pay a chunk of the fee to their La Liga counterparts following the transfer, with their overall outlay on Griezmann totalling €56m.

After an underwhelming spell at Barcelona, Griezmann returned to Atletico on loan in 2021, before the deal became permanent two years later. With over 200 goals and just shy of 500 appearances, Griezmann is one of the biggest legends in Atletico’s history.

4. Diego Costa – €60m (from Chelsea, 2018)

Three-and-a-half years after leaving Atletico Madrid, Diego Costa returned to the club in January 2018 after a fall-out with Antonio Conte at Chelsea.

The Spaniard notched 59 goals in 120 games for Chelsea, helping them win two Premier League titles, but he left in unceremonious fashion just 18 months later.

Costa re-joined Atletico for €60m, however his form never justified that price tag and his contract was terminated in January 2021.

3. Thomas Lemar – €72m (from Monaco, 2018)

Thomas Lemar finally left AS Monaco in 2018, with Atletico Madrid forking out a whopping €72m to sign the Frenchman.

Lemar was set to join Liverpool one year prior, but the move collapsed and he eventually joined Atleti instead.

After a difficult start to life in Spain, Lemar was moulded into a central midfielder by Diego Simeone – a role that suited him perfectly – and he soon became a pivotal player at the Metropolitano. But, he fell out of favour in 2024-25 and he was sent on loan to Girona the following season.

2. Julian Alvarez – €75m (from Man City, 2024)

Julian Alvarez became the second-most expensive signing in Atletico Madrid’s history when he joined the club from Manchester City in 2024.

The Argentina international, who helped his nation win the 2022 World Cup, joined Atleti for an initial €75m after spending two years with Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.

Despite playing a back-up role to Erling Haaland, Alvarez notched 36 goals in 103 appearances for Man City, but he still sought an exit in order to increase his game time.

1. Joao Felix – €127.2m (from Benfica, 2019)

Joao Felix was courted by every elite club in Europe after he burst onto the scene at Benfica, and it was Atletico Madrid who won the race for his signature, with the Portugal starlet joining the club as Antoine Griezmann’s replacement in 2019.

However, Felix never quite suited Diego Simeone’s style of football and he struggled to adapt to life at the Metropolitano, despite helping the club win LaLiga during his second campaign.

Felix joined Chelsea on loan in January 2023, and he then spent the entire 2023-24 campaign on loan at Barcelona. Chelsea subsequently signed him permanently in 2024.

The 10 most expensive Atletico Madrid signings of all time

Cameron Smith is a Digital Content Producer for FootballTransfers, having joined the team upon its inception in November 2020.

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