10 Worst Signings in Real Madrid history

Real Madrid has been known to make some marquee signings throughout their footballing journey as the Spanish are one of the most decorated clubs not only in their region but also on the European stage of football.

Although there have been certain scenarios where the big signings have not been able to live up to their expectations, marking themselves as one of the flops of the Los Blancos footballing era. Let’s take a look at some of these worst signings in the history of Real Madrid.

#1) Jonathan Woodgate (2004)

The English professional footballer joined the Spanish side from Newcastle United in 2004 for around €18m. Woodgate spent the majority of his career in the stands due to several injuries.

He is known to have one of the worst debut matches in the history of Los Blancos as he scored his own goal and received a red card in his first match, later on going to be voted as the worst signing of the 21st century by Marca.

#2) Antonio Cassano (2006)

The Italian forward, Antonio Cassano always found a way to make himself at the top of the headline with a new controversy. Cassano joined Real Madrid in 2006 for €5m and was one of the worst attitude players of the generation.

Real Madrid’s worst mistake was to sign Cassano has Italian did not follow in rules and was the most undisciplined player in the entire squad. He has also received suspension on several occasions before the injury ended his career in Los Blancos.

#3) Royston Drenthe (2007)

The Dutch midfielder was signed by Real Madrid in 2007 from Feyenoord for €14m. Drenthe had an impressive start to his career with the Los Blancos but soon started to lose his touch further on his career and was later on replaced by Marcelo in the following year.

The major stumbling point in his career was his match against Deportivo La Coruna which they won 1-0 but the Dutch were booked by the fans for his not so impressive performance in the match. Drenthe suffered from anxiety which made it tough for him to return to the pitch with a steady mind in the latter part of his stint with Real Madrid.

#4) Javier Saviola (2007)

Javier Saviola was signed by Real Madrid for free in 2007 from their direct rivals FC Barcelona where the South America striker proved to be an exceptional player upfront.

However, Saviola was not able to create much impact for Los Blancos as he failed to make many appearances due to the presence of some star-studded forward which included the likes of Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Higuain, Robben and many more. He scored 5 goals in 28 appearances for Real Madrid before he moved to Benfica in 2009.

#5) Michael Essien (2012)

Michael Essien was one of the most exceptional defensive midfielders who was known for his stint with Chelsea under Jose Mourinho. The Special One signed the Ghanaian on loan when he was managing Real Madrid in 2012.

Due to a major knee injury, Michael Essien was not able to play at the top of his game as failed to make many appearances for the Spanish club. Essien left the club at the end of his loan spell and joined AC Milan in 2014.

#6) Walter Samuel (2004)

Walter Samuel was nicknamed ‘The Wall’ because of his immense defensive capabilities. However, the €25m signing was not able to create much of a name at Real Madrid during his one year stint at the Spanish club.

Many say it was not the best year for the Argentine as his stint before and after Real Madrid is regarded as one of the best as he showcased some real classy defensive play at the backline.

#7) Danilo (2015)

Danilo was signed by Real Madrid in 2015 for a massive sum of €31.5m. The Brazilian full-back was not able to prove his worth to the Los Blancos and eventually suffered criticism.

Danilo made only 56 appearances for the club during his two years stint and was most of the time on the pitch during Carvajal’s major injury in the 2016/17 season. The Brazilian then moved on to Manchester City and now plays for the Italian club Juventus.

#8) Elvir Baljic (1999)

The Yugoslavian striker was signed by Real Madrid for around €26m in 1999, the highest amount then paid for a Yugoslavian player. The striker was signed after an impressive season in Fenerbahçe and was expected to keep up with his worth in the Spanish club also.

Baljic’s major ACL and PCL ligament ruptured before he could kick start his career in Real Madrid. The injury made him stay in rehabilitation for a long time and the striker went on to score only 1 goal for Real Madrid before he made his move back to Fenerbahçe on loan in 2000.

#9) Kaka (2009)

The Brazillian legendary attacking midfielder Kaka was signed by Real Madrid in 2009 for €65m. Kaka was then the recent Ballon D’or champion after his exceptional stint with AC Milan and was a record-breaking signing for Real Madrid under newly appointed president Florentino Perez.

Kaka being a top-class player was sidelined in the Los Blancos squad after he suffered back to back injuries. He was not able to make many starters for the time he was available as Mesut Ozil was proving himself to be phenomenal in the position. He went back to AC Milan after a 4 years stint with the Spanish club.

#10) Eden Hazard (2019)

Eden Hazard was regarded as the best player in the English Premier League during his stint with Chelsea. The Belgian winger made a move to his dream club, Real Madrid in 2019 for €100m and was very excited to showcase his talent in the Spanish club.

However, things did not turn out as it was expected to be because Hazard was mostly on the sideline due to multiple and major injuries back to back that he suffered after signing with the Spanish club. His physique also deteriorated as he ended up not maintaining a proper diet.

Eden Hazard is currently still tied up to the club as he still fights to prove his worth with Real Madrid before his stint comes to an end with the Spanish club.

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