5 most expensive sales in La Liga history

Neymar and Ronaldo have been high-profile sales from La Liga
Neymar and Ronaldo have been high-profile sales from La Liga

#3 Lucas Hernandez: Atletico Madrid to Bayern Munich (€80m)

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FC Bayern Muenchen v FC Augsburg - Bundesliga
FC Bayern Muenchen v FC Augsburg - Bundesliga

Lucas Hernandez became the most expensive player in Bundesliga history when he signed for Bayern Munich from La Liga outfit Atletico Madrid for a €80m fee.

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He had won the World Cup with France the previous year, winning a record 41 duels and had long been linked with a move away from La Liga. The move eventually happened in the summer of 2019.

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It was not without any reason that a club of Bayern Munich's stature had invested so heavily in the La Liga defender. Hernandez had lost just once in 42 Bundesliga appearances before the end of last season.

The 25-year-old gives the credit for his growth to Diego Simeone. In fact, it was under Simeone that Hernandez was handed his first-team debut for Atletico Madrid at the age of 18.

Over the years, Hernandez has turned himself into a winner. The defender has won the Champions League, two Bundesliga titles, a Club World Cup and a UEFA Super Cup after joining Bayern. The Europa League title also adds to his achievements, which he won for La Liga side Atletico Madrid.

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#2 Cristiano Ronaldo: Real Madrid to Juventus (€117m)

Udinese Calcio v Juventus - Serie A
Udinese Calcio v Juventus - Serie A

Cristiano Ronaldo grabs headlines with almost everything he does. His recent move to Manchester United caused the club's official website to crash.

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A similar ruckus was created when Ronaldo decided to bring an end to his nine-year-long career with La Liga side Real Madrid. The move cost Juventus €117m.

The Portuguese had won almost everything he could during his stay at Real Madrid, justifying his humongous transfer fee.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez had promised Ronaldo an improved contract for the 2017-18 season, an assurance that was never really fulfilled.

Ronaldo eventually decided to put an end to his stay in La Liga the following summer, much to the disappointment of the fans.

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It also decreased La Liga's acceptance among fans worldwide. However, Real Madrid's loss was Juventus' gain.

The Serie A giants got their money's worth as the 36-year-old went on to score 101 goals for them in 134 appearances.

Ronaldo won two domestic league titles, two Supercoppa Italiana and one Coppa Italia title with Juventus before calling time on his stint with the Serie A giants.


#1 Neymar: Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain (€222m)

International Champions Cup 2017 - Real Madrid v FC Barcelona
International Champions Cup 2017 - Real Madrid v FC Barcelona

The €222m transfer fee the French giants paid to sign Neymar from Barcelona remains, till date, the highest for any player.

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Neymar's former Barcelona team-mate Jeremy Mathieu revealed later what he felt about Neymar's decision. According to Mathieu, Neymar had decided to bid farewell to the La Liga giants in order to challenge Messi and win his first Ballon d'Or award.

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Even Neymar's father admitted that his son had left Spain to become an undisputed star elsewhere.

The Brazil international ended his first season in France with 28 goals from 30 appearances, helping set up another 16 more for his team-mates.

While his dream of winning the Ballon d'Or has yet to become a reality, Neymar has won multiple accolades in France.

The 29-year-old has so far added three league titles and three Coupe de France titles to his cabinet.

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With Lionel Messi now traveling the same road as Neymar to leave La Liga and join Ligue 1, fears are that Neymar could blossom further on the pitch.

How the duo cope with each other in different circumstances will now be a matter for football fans to see.

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Edited by Nived Zenith
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