Real Madrid's 10 biggest sales of all time

16 Feb 2022 08:38 GMT |
Updated: 25 Sept 2026 11:54 BST |
5 min read

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Real Madrid are the most successful club in European football history and they remain arguably the most lucrative destination for the sport’s biggest superstars.

Whether it be Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario, Cristiano Ronaldo or Kylian Mbappe, Los Blancos have always had an allure that often stretches beyond their rivals, and this allows them to regularly pick up the best players on the planet.

However, while Real Madrid are synonymous with huge transfer fees and extravagant squads, they have also sold a host of high-profile stars over the years.

Below, FootballTransfers runs through Real Madrid’s 10 biggest sales of all time.

10. Raphael Varane – €40m (to Manchester United, 2021)

It was the end of an era at Real Madrid in 2021 as they lost their centre-back duo of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane.

Varane had just one year remaining on his Los Blancos contract at the time and Man Utd took advantage of this situation to secure his signature for the bargain price of just €40m, despite his reputation as one of Europe’s best defenders.

Varane left Spain having won an incredible 18 trophies during a 10-year spell at Real Madrid. The Frenchman retired in 2024.

9. Robinho – €43m (to Man City, 2008)

Robinho’s move to Manchester City in 2008 was the shock of the summer transfer window.

The Brazilian had scored 15 goals and provided 12 assists in the 2007-08 season for Real Madrid, but was shipped off to Man City on Transfer Deadline Day as Sheikh Mansour’s first signing as City owner.

He scored 14 Premier League goals in his first season at Man City, but was then loaned to Santos in 2010 before being sold to AC Milan.

8. Achraf Hakimi – €43m (to Inter, 2020)

After a successful two-year loan at Borussia Dortmund, it was expected that Achraf Hakimi would finally return to Real Madrid and play a key role in the first team. However, they instead chose to immediately sell him to Inter.

Far more suited to a wing-back role than as a traditional full-back, Hakimi played just 17 times for Real Madrid and Los Blancos decided to cash in during the 2020 summer window rather than integrate him into their squad.

After a stellar campaign at Inter, the Morocco international joined Paris Saint-Germain, where he has become arguably the best right-back in world football.

7. Mateo Kovacic – €45m (to Chelsea, 2019)

Initially signed on loan, Mateo Kovacic’s move to Chelsea was made permanent for €45m in the summer of 2019.

The Croatia midfielder had spent three seasons at Real Madrid after moving from Inter, but he failed to make over 20 league starts in a single campaign during his entire career at the Bernabeu.

In total, he played 109 times for Los Blancos, winning the Champions League on three occasions, but Real Madrid were happy to offload him for a hefty fee after learning of Chelsea’s interest.

6. Mesut Ozil – €47m (to Arsenal, 2013)

Real Madrid’s decision to let Mesut Ozil join Arsenal in 2013 left both fans and players extremely frustrated. Cristiano Ronaldo even revealed that he was “angry about Ozil leaving” because “he was the player who best knew my moves in front of goal.”

Signed from Werder Bremen after impressing at the 2010 World Cup, Ozil was unknown to some, but he became a favourite at the Bernabeu.

After scoring 19 goals and assisting 47 in three league seasons at the club, Ozil left as a world superstar, and although he displayed his talents for Arsenal, he never won another league title before retiring in 2023.

5. Alvaro Morata – €66m (to Chelsea, 2017)

Antonio Conte wanted to sign Romelu Lukaku in 2017, but Chelsea opted for Alvaro Morata instead, and paid over the odds to secure his signature.

Morata had scored 15 league goals during the 2016-17 season, having returned to Real Madrid following a successful loan spell at Juventus, but he started just 14 league games and it was clear he wasn’t first choice.

He had scored at an impressive rate given his game time, but Real Madrid somehow convinced Chelsea to pay €66m, which was far more than he was worth. Morata returned to Spain on a permanent deal in 2020, although he joined Real’s city rivals Atletico.

4. Nico Paz – €66m (to Como, 2026)

A Real Madrid academy product, Nico Paz joined Como on loan in 2024 and after a hugely encouraging campaign, he returned to the club for a second temporary spell the following season.

After two years of immense form in Serie A, Paz was scheduled to return to the Real Madrid first-team in 2026, however he was keen to join Como on a permanent deal and he soon completed a club-record move for a whopping €66m.

However, Real Madrid included a buy-back clause in the sale and Paz is expected to return to the Bernabeu in the future.

3. Casemiro – €70m (to Man Utd, 2022)

Casemiro must rank alongside the greatest pieces of transfer business ever conducted at the Bernabeu.

The Brazilian arrived in Madrid as a youngster from Sao Paulo for €6m in 2013, and nine years, over 300 games and five Champions League titles later, he left for a fee more than 10 times higher.

During that time, the midfielder established himself as one of the world’s elite players in his position and by the time he left, he was 30 years old and Los Blancos picked the perfect time to sell him.

2. Angel Di Maria – €75m (to Man Utd, 2014)

Despite being handed the ‘Man of the Match’ award in the 2014 Champions League final, that proved to be Angel Di Maria’s final game for Real Madrid, with the club swiftly finalising a €75m deal with Manchester United.

Di Maria had been an extremely reliable player for Los Blancos, scoring 22 goals and registering 50 assists in La Liga across his four seasons at the club, but with Gareth Bale preferred on the right wing, he was shifted inside and when Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez were signed after the 2014 World Cup, Di Maria was sold.

However, the Argentine didn’t enjoy his short spell in Manchester and he was soon offloaded to Paris Saint-Germain, where he spent a trophy-laden six years before joining Juventus on a free transfer in 2022.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo – €117m (to Juventus, 2018)

What can you say? Real Madrid’s former record signing is also their most expensive departure. Cristiano Ronaldo was at the heart of Los Blancos’ success in the 2010s, and to have made a profit on him at the age of 33 was incredible business.

In total, Ronaldo won 16 club honours in Spain, four Ballon d’Ors and two ‘The Best’ awards. He scored 101 Champions League goals for Real Madrid, the most of any player at one club, and netted over 30 goals for nine seasons in a row.

In all, he scored a club-record 450 goals for Los Blancos and is arguably their greatest ever player.

After three years in Turin, Ronaldo left Juventus to return to Man Utd in 2021, before joining Al-Nassr in January 2023.

The 10 biggest Real Madrid sales of all time