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Real Madrid remain one of the most successful and richest clubs in football right now. Even with a global pandemic wreaking havoc on the sport, Los Blancos, who have a gallery of achievements that include a jaw-dropping 13 Champions League titles, remain financially stable.
With Zinedine Zidane returning to the club's fold and steadying the ship once again, Real Madrid reclaimed the La Liga title last season and have begun the defence of their title decently with three wins in four matches in the fledgeling new season.
5 most valuable Real Madrid players right now
Interestingly, Zidane's Real Madrid 2.0 is a much more defensive-minded and solid football team that hardly concedes goals. They let in just 25 goals last season en route to their Liga triumph. Thus, the most expensive players in the Real Madrid side include a good mix of defenders and defensive-minded players.
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In this piece, we will take a look at the five most expensive Real Madrid players right now.
#5 Eden Hazard - €60m
Moving to Real Madrid is a dream for any footballer, but it can also turn into a nightmare for some. Eden Hazard currently belongs to that unlucky latter group.
The Belgian established himself as one of the best wide attackers in the world during a trophy-laden spell at Chelsea that helped him earn a move to the Bernabeu.
The transfer, which reportedly cost Real Madrid €160m, made Hazard one of the most expensive players in the club's history. Yes, Los Blancos apparently paid more for Hazard than they did for Gareth Bale.
However, the player who scored 110 goals and assisted 92 times for Chelsea has had a horror show at Real Madrid so far.
The La Liga giants have certainly not shelled out the megabucks for a paltry return of one goal and seven assists from their star man. However, in Hazard's defence, it can be said that he has also been blighted by injuries during this period and played only 22 times during his first season in the Spanish capital.
Hazard has also missed the start of this season after reportedly turning up overweight for pre-season and not being fit enough to be a part of Real Madrid's matchday squad.
Expectedly, Hazard's market value has suffered a huge fall. This season might be his last chance to turn around his Real Madrid career and establish himself as one of the best in the world.
#4 Casemiro - €60m
Casemiro has become one of the best defensive midfielders in the world under Zinedine Zidane's tutelage.
The French maestro uncovered a raw diamond and polished him to create the perfect piece that could fit in at the base of his Real Madrid midfield jigsaw puzzle.
Casemiro might not be the most technically gifted and certainly not the most creative player in the Real Madrid midfield, but he is invaluable for the team. The Brazilian brings steel and energy into the midfield and is brilliant in breaking up play.
He has become markedly better at ball-distribution and even shooting during his time at Real Madrid. A four-time winner of the UCL, Casemiro is one of the brightest modern Galacticos.
#3 Raphael Varane - €70m
Raphael Varane might have hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons after being guilty of both goals Real Madrid conceded during their Champions League second leg tie against Manchester City. But the Frenchman has slowly but surely moulded himself into a brilliant centre-back during his stint at Real Madrid.
Varane, who is assured on the ball and while tackling, is a perfect fit at Real Madrid and is the quieter partner to the more boisterous Sergio Ramos at the heart of the team's defence.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner, who was in stellar form for Real Madrid as they won the La Liga last season, has won multiple league and UCL titles for them. The scarier bit for opponents would be that at 27, Varane is entering his prime.
#2 Federico Valverde - €70m
Uruguayan Federico Valverde, a regular in the Real Madrid first-team since 2017-18, is one of the most versatile and multi-tasking midfielders on the planet.
Valverde is capable of playing in a box-to-box role but has often been used in more advanced roles where his dribbling prowess puts him in good stead. He is also given the freedom to roam forward, and his youth and energy helps him track back more efficiently than Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.
At 22, Valverde is one of the biggest midfield prospects of his generation.
#1 Thibaut Courtois - €75m
Who can forget Thibaut Courtois' acrimonious move to Real Madrid from Chelsea where he had established his reputation as one of the best in the business?
The tall Belgian keeper was a pillar for the Blues between the posts and then lost his goodwill with the club after forcing a move to the Bernabeu.
It is safe to say that his start at the club was rocky as he often failed to inspire confidence, leading to detractors calling for his head. Competition from Keylor Navas for the number one spot also added to his challenges at his new club.
However, Courtois managed to redeem himself last season, becoming the undisputed number one for the club after Navas moved to Paris St. Germain. He won the Zamora Trophy, which is given to the keeper with the lowest goals to games ratio, as he let in just 20 times in 34 Liga appearances.
One can now say that the Belgian has found his feet in Spain and is well and truly settled at Real Madrid. His market value reflects this fact.
(Note: While Eden Hazard's value has gone down, the value of all the four other players in this list has increased.)
