Real Madrid’s top 10 most expensive transfer sales revealed with Raphael Varane NINTH after £34.2m Man Utd move
RAPHAEL VARANE is on the brink of officially becoming a Manchester United player.
On Tuesday evening, the two clubs confirmed a transfer fee had been agreed with the France centre-back, 28, just needing to sign his contract and pass a medical.
Varane is set to cost Man Utd just £34.2million – a bargain for a player of his calibre and experience.
That figure could rise to £42.7m, with £8.5m’s worth of potential add-ons included in the deal.
But for now, the base fee of £34.2m is JUST good enough to crack the top ten sales in Real Madrid history.
Check out who else makes the cut, including some superstar names, below…
10. ROBINHO – Man City (£32.5m)
THE Brazilian forward joined City in a shock deadline day deal in the summer of 2008.
Huge things were expected of Robinho, but he managed just 14 goals in 41 Premier League games across two seasons before being sold to AC Milan, following a loan spell at Santos.
Man City recouped just £15m, making an overall loss of £17.5m on the flop.
9. RAPHAEL VARANE – Man Utd (£34.2m)
UNITED have long been searching for a partner for Harry Maguire – who himself cost the club £80m in 2019.
Maguire has been a near-ever-present under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and is slowly but surely proving to be worth every penny.
Many now believe Varane could be the final piece of the puzzle as United chase a first Premier League title since Sir Alex Ferugson’s final season in 2012-13.
For just £34.2m, Varane is already looking like a bargain.
8. GONZALO HIGUAIN – Napoli (£34.5m)
SOLD for just £300,000 more than Varane, Higuain quit Spain for Italy following a six-year stay at the Bernabeu in 2013.
The Argentine scored 71 times in just 104 league games and broke the record for most Serie A goals in a single season in 2015-16 with a staggering 36 strikes from 35 games.
Higuain quickly moved to Juventus but failed to inspire before being loaned to AC Milan and Chelsea where he endured horrendous spells.
The former Los Blancos star now turns out for David Beckham’s MLS franchise, Inter Miami, who sit bottom of the Eastern Conference.
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7. MARCOS LLORENTE – Atletico Madrid (£35m)
LLORENTE spent 11 years at the Bernabeu, working his way through the youth ranks and into the first-team.
But with senior minutes limited, Llorente was sold to local rivals Atletico Madrid in 2019 – where he has become a regular for club AND country.
6. MATEO KOVACIC – Chelsea (£40m)
AFTER three years at Madrid, Kovacic was loaned to Chelsea for the 2018-19 season, with a £40m option to buy.
With the Blues later placed under a transfer embargo, they were still able to exercise the clause, with the Croatian now an integral figure in their midfield.
5. ACHRAF HAKIMI – Inter Milan (£40.5m)
DESPITE playing just NINE times in LaLiga, Real Madrid managed to rake in £40.5m for Hakimi in 2020.
The Moroccan had thrived during his two-year loan deal at Borussia Dortmund, with Inter Milan paying the big bucks to bring him to Italy.
Hakimi played a key role in leading Inter to their first Serie A title in 11 years during his debut season.
But with the Italian champions in need of a cash injection, they sold him to Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month for £52m.
4. MESUT OZIL – Arsenal (£42.5m)
AFTER three excellent years at the Bernabeu, Arsenal were happy to pay the big bucks to bring Ozil to England in 2013.
The former Germany international initially thrived and was affectionally dubbed the ‘Assist King’ by Gooners.
But after struggling on the pitch, his relationship with the club soured and he was allowed to join Fenerbahce on a free transfer in January as Arsenal offloaded his monster £350,000-a-week salary.
3. ANGEL DI MARIA – Man Utd (£59.7m)
THE Argentine spent four years as an integral part of the Real Madrid first-team between 2010 and 2014.
Di Maria was so good, United were adamant he would help deliver their first-ever Premier League crown that wasn’t won by Sir Alex Ferguson.
But the former Los Blancos ace struggled mightily despite his near-£60m transfer fee – save for one moment of magic against Leicester.
Di Maria was sold a year later, joining PSG – where he still plays to this day.
2. ALVARO MORATA – Chelsea (£65m)
THE Spaniard has struggled to find a home during his career.
Morata started his youth career at Atletico Madrid, before joining rivals Real via a one-year stint at Getafe.
He was sold to Juventus before being bought back by Real Madrid.
Just one season into his comeback, Los Blancos sold the striker for a staggering £65m – with Chelsea beating Man Utd to his signature in 2017, as the Red Devils turned to Romelu Lukaku.
In three years, Morata managed just 16 Premier League goals in 47 games and was sold back to Atletico Madrid following a year-long loan.
Bizarrely, Atleti immediately loaned him out to Juventus after his move was made official – with a second year in Italy confirmed earlier this summer.
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1. CRISTIANO RONALDO – Juventus (£99m)
AFTER nine incredible years at the Bernabeu, Ronaldo finally quit Real Madrid in the summer of 2018.
Ronaldo joined Juventus in a £99m move – easily the biggest sale in Los Blancos’ history.
The Portuguese ace – the world record holder for most international goals – has maintained his incredible form in Italy and has even been linked with a move back to Madrid in recent months.
Read our Transfer news live blog for the very latest rumours, gossip and done deals