The likes of players such as La Fábrica have also been a source of quality players that have been a massive influence on Real Madrid’s transfer earnings. Gonzalo García and César Palacios are the newest in a series of academy cadets with high salaries, with transfers valued up to a combined €50m.
Real Madrid has sold its youth players for almost €440m over the last six seasons, Spanish journalist José Luis Sánchez reported. Other academy products have also brought in club cash via transfers and sell-on deals and retained rights.
1. Álvaro Morata to Chelsea
Álvaro Morata is leading the list after being acquired by Euro club Chelsea for £66 million in 2017. In 2016 he went back to Real Madrid, and managed to have 20 goals in 43 games in a season of Champions League and La Liga victory. He had plenty of goals but wasn’t one of the pecking order and Madrid have taken advantage of him when he was brought on board by Chelsea.
2. Nico Paz to Como
Nico Paz has been proving himself in Italy with Cesc Fàbregas since he was released from Real Madrid. The Argentine international became embroiled in a transfer saga regarding his future and eventually Como took him on in a full transfer deal for €60 million. However, Real Madrid still have a €80m buy-back.
3. Achraf Hakimi to Inter Milan
Born in 1998, Achraf Hakimi joined Real Madrid as a first team player for the 2017-18 season and was viewed at Borussia Dortmund for two seasons on loan. His performances grabbed Inter Milan’s attention, leading to an €43 million transfer for the right-back in 2020. Having won Serie A, Hakimi’s career continued as a player for Paris Saint-Germain.
4. Gonzalo García to Fulham
He made his name at Real Madrid Castilla and was top scorer of the Club World Cup where he impressed. Then, he went on to score eight goals for him in 2025-26, replacing Kylian Mbappé. García joined Fulham on a free transfer and Madrid insisted that it still had 30% of his ‘economic rights’.
5. Sergio Reguilón to Tottenham Hotspur
Under coach Santiago Solari, Real Madrid’s first-team player, Sergio Reguilón appeared in 22 of his club’s 2018-19 matches. The defender subsequently joined Sevilla on loan where he won the Europa League, before Tottenham forked out €30 million for the services. Since then, he has been playing with Manchester United, Atlético Madrid and Inter Miami.
6. Marcos Llorente to Atlético Madrid
Marcos Llorente was brought into Real Madrid’s fold when he was just 13 years old and made his debut for the first team in due course. He did, however, have trouble securing minutes, moving to Atlético Madrid for €30 million in 2019. Ever since then, he is one of Diego Simeone’s most reliable players.
7. Jesé Rodríguez to PSG
Jesé Rodríguez was promoted through Real Madrid’s ranks until he was finally added to the senior team, under Zinedine Zidane’s, Carlo Ancelotti’s and José Mourinho’s direction. In 2016 he joined Paris Saint-Germain on a €25 million transfer, but struggled to make an impact in France and he was loaned out for four seasons.
8. Raúl de Tomás to Benfica
Raúl de Tomás was part of the first team in his time at Real Madrid, and although he was a member of the Academy since he was 10, he was only a part of the team. In Real Valladolid, and Rayo Vallecano he signed five loans which prompted Benfica to make him €20 million. He only scored three goals in 17 games, though, and soon set off home to Spain.
9. Álvaro Morata to Juventus
Álvaro Morata was one of the most promising youngsters from Real Madrid when he was brought in at Juventus in 2014. A buy-back clause was part of the transfer with Morata impressing in his first spell in Italy, including a pair of decidedly important goals against Madrid in the 2015 Champions League semi-final. He returned to Real Madrid in 2016, signing for them for £30 million.
10. Álvaro Negredo to Sevilla
Prior to being sold to Almería with a buy-back option, Álvaro Negredo was joined by Rayo Vallecano, where he has spent time at Real Madrid Castilla. Later, he was sold to Sevilla, with the sole purpose of doing so, for €15 million, and Madrid were able to reacquire him for €4 million. Incredibly, Negredo did not receive a call up to Real Madrid in the first team, and then started signing with Manchester City, Middlesbrough and Valencia.
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