With Eden Hazard having completed a €100 million (R1.66 billion) transfer to Real Madrid, here are the 11 most expensive galacticos signed by Los Blancos president Florentino Perez, a ranking that includes Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Zinedine Zidane.
Tired of reading? Click through the gallery above to see the 10 most expensive signings made by president Perez at Real, according to AS!
Spanish giants Real became notorious for the "galacticos" policy made famous by Perez in his first spell as club president in 2000.
After being named as Lorenzo Sanz's successor at Los Blancos, the 72-year-old bolstered Real's first-team squad considerably, signing eight high-profile players in Claude Makelele, Luis Figo, Zidane, Sergio Ramos, Ronaldo Nazario, David Beckham, Michel Owen and Robinho.
Real's new transfer policy of signing expensive, quality superstars known as galacticos become synonymous with Perez, who, in his first spell as president of the LaLiga giants, went on to acquire at least one world-class superstar in the transfer window of every year.
Perez' first stint as president of the club lasted six years (2000 to 2006), and in that period, Real clinched two league titles, two Spanish Super Cups, a UEFA Champions League title and an Intercontinental Cup (the predecessor to the FIFA Club World Cup).
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The second wave of the galacticos policy commenced from June 2009, when Perez was announced as president of Real once again.
The Spaniard continued his star-studded galacticos policy, bringing in Ronaldo from United for a club-record fee of €94 million (R1.6 billion), before subsequently slashing that record with the acquisition of Bale from Tottenham Hotspur four years later.
At the summit of the most expensive galacticos ranking is out-of-favour Welshman Bale, who joined the club in 2013 from Premier League side Spurs in a mouth-watering deal said to worth €101 million (R1.7 billion).
Hazard, who ended his decorated seven-year stay with Chelsea to join Zidane's side, comes in at No. 2 on the podium following his €100 million (R1.66 billion) move to Real.
Third is club-record goalscorer Ronaldo, who arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu on a six-year deal at a cost of €94 million (R1.57billion) – a club record at the time.
Read: The Highest-Paid Real Stars After Hazard Signing
Others stars who are among the 11 most expensive galacticos signed under Perez include a Brazilian legend who was the crowned the Ballon d'Or winner in 2007, before Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's decade-long dominance of the award began – click through the gallery above to see all the galacticos!
Which player in the gallery do you consider to be the greatest galactico ever, and why? Have your say in the comments section below.
