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Real Madrid have always been obsessed with bringing the best players to the Santiago Bernabeu. Over the years, Los Blancos has spent significant sums of money to secure the signings of top talents across the globe. This policy was introduced by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez during his spell in charge at the club.
Boasting 34 La Liga titles and 13 European Cups, Real Madrid is also one of the most decorated clubs in world football. It is the dream destination for many top footballers, making it easier for the club to complete these marquee signings.
Real Madrid have broken the transfer record numerous times
Los Blancos were never afraid to spend freely in order to bring the best players in the world. The signings of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Kaka and Eden Hazard are just a few examples of their spending spree in recent times. However, they have spent exorbitant amounts in the past as well. On that note, let's take a look at the five most expensive Real Madrid signings before 2002.
Note: All values are taken from transfermarkt.
#5 Elvir Baljic - €21 Million (1999)
Elvir Baljic remains one of the lesser known names in the list, whose €21 million transfer in 1999 shocked everyone. The Bosnian footballer was enjoying a decent season with Fenerbahce with his goalscoring exploits garnering interest from top European clubs.
Real Madrid won the race to sign the sharpshooter for a hefty transfer fee on the advice of manager John Toshack. The transfer was a failure from the very first day due to the footballer's injury in pre-season.
Baljic only made 11 league appearances and scored just one goal, spending the majority of his time on loan at his former club between 1999 and 2002.
#4 Flavio Conceicao - €25 Million (2000)
Flavio Conceicao slowly made a name for himself in the late 90s playing for Deportivo de La Coruna which caught the eye of Real Madrid. Los Blancos eventually sent shockwaves around the world with their big money signing of the Brazilian in 2000.
Conceicao was more of a fringe player during his tenure in the Spanish capital. The midfielder played over 70 games, scoring two goals and providing two assists.
However, Conceicao was the one who provided an important assist to Steve McManaman against Barcelona in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. His three-year tenure at Madrid saw him win two La Liga and one Champions League titles.
#3 Nicolas Anelka - €35 Million (1999)
Nicolas Anelka's move to Real Madrid was a disaster despite the world class caliber of the player. Following his sensational tenure at Arsenal under Arsene Wenger's tutelage, Real Madrid paid €35 million to secure his services.
However, Anelka's transfer did not pan out as planned due to his temparment issues. The Frenchman's attitude problems ruptured his relationship with Vicente Del Bosque, the Real Madrid boss back then. Eventually, he was suspended for 45 days because of his refusal to train.
It came as no surprise that Anelka was sold to PSG, having scored only seven goals while featuring just 33 times for Real Madrid. Despite being a big money signing, the centre-forward was one of the worst transfers in the club's history.
#2 Luís Figo - €60 Million (2000)
Luis Figo’s transfer to Real Madrid in 2000 was arguably the most controversial switch in football history. The Portuguese was Barcelona's captain at the time, which is why his €60 million signing took the football world by storm.
The transfer acted as a catalyst to their bitter rivalry which resulted in high voltage encounters on the pitch. The former Ballon d'Or winner was one of the best of his era, a force to be reckoned with due to his pace and skillset on the flanks.
Figo spent five years at Barcelona but his tenure in the Spanish capital was a successful one. The Portuguese legend helped Madrid win two La Liga titles with Real Madrid, while also winning the Champions League title in 2002. He bagged 56 goals and 93 assists for Los Blancos in 245 appearances.
#1 Zinedine Zidane - €77.5 Million (2001)
Real Madrid broke the bank and set a new transfer record by forking out €77.5 million to bring Zinedine Zidane to the Santiago Bernabeu. The Frenchman was the best player in the world at the time for his exploits with France and Juventus. He was the perfect 'Galactico', who would leave an incredible mark at Real Madrid.
Following his majestic displays which saw him win the World Cup and the European Championship, 'Zizou' went on to win everything in club football as well. His transfer value was hard to believe at the time but the midfielder repaid the price during his tenure in the Spanish capital.
Zidane bagged 49 goals and 67 assists in over 200 appearances for the club. However, a player like him was not meant to be judged by mere statistics. His iconic volley against Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002 Champions League final is a testament to that fact.
Zidane has also enjoyed a fruitful tenure as Real Madrid's manager in recent times, guiding the team to an unprecedented three-peat of the Champions League.
