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#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.
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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.)
