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#3 Raphael Varane (2011)
Now considered one of the best central defenders on the planet, Raphael Varane moved to Real Madrid from French side Lens for a fee of around €10m in the summer of 2011. The move was seen as one for the future – Varane was just 18 years old at the time – and nearly a decade on, it’s hard to suggest that it hasn’t been a successful one for all parties.
The Frenchman took some time to settle into life in the Spanish capital – hardly a surprise given his young age and lack of experience – but by midway through his third season at the Bernabeu, he’d unseated veteran defender Pepe in Los Blancos' first-choice XI, and he played the entire 120 minutes during the 2013-14 Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid.
In the years that have followed, Varane has been almost an ever-present for Real and was a key part in their subsequent Champions League victories in 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18. Renowned for his calm presence in the heart of the team’s defence, he’s likely to remain an important player for Los Blancos well into the 2020s.
