Real Madrid’s Biggest Transfer Fees for Academy Players

Real Madrid Castilla gems Gonzalo García and César Palacios are officially Fulham players, joining the Premier League club in separate deals worth as much as €50 million ($57 million) combined.

The figures have raised eyebrows in the world of soccer given 22-year-old García has scored just six top-flight goals in his career, while 21-year-old Palacios has made just seven first-team appearances total.

The duo are just the latest of Real Madrid’s La Fábrica stars to earn big moves across Europe, banking the club that developed them some serious revenue.

According to Spanish journalist José Luis Sánchez, Madrid have generated a staggering €440 million ($506 million) from the sale of youth players over the last six seasons.

La Fábrica talents García and Palacios, along with Mario Martín and Fran García, have all brought in money in this window with their exits. In addition, though not direct sales, Madrid have made well over €100 million ($115 million) from the transfers of Víctor Muñoz, Mario Gila, Álvaro Rodríguez and more thanks to sell-on agreements and retained rights in former academy stars.

But how does García’s hefty price tag compare to Madrid’s all-time biggest academy product sales? Here are the ten biggest fees received by Los Blancos for La Fábrica-produced stars.

10. Álvaro Negredo to Sevilla (€15 Million, 2009)

After moving to Real Madrid’s B team from Rayo Vallecano around the time of his 20th birthday, Álvaro Negredo flourished at Castilla before being sold on to Almeria with a buy-back clause.

After two goal-heavy seasons in La Liga, Negredo was signed back for just €4 million before being immediately sold on to Sevilla—making him, at the time, Madrid’s most expensive academy sale in history.

All the more remarkable considering he never played a first-team minute for the club.

The bullish forward went on to play for Manchester City, Middlesbrough and Valencia, among others.

9. Álvaro Morata to Juventus (€20 Million, 2014)

As one of the club’s most promising young talents at the time, Álvaro Morata’s sale to Juventus felt like something of a surprise. The move did, of course, include a buy-back clause.

The Spanish striker impressed in his first stint in Italy, most notably scoring two decisive goals in the 2015 Champions League semifinals which helped eliminate Real Madrid.

In the summer of 2016, he re-joined Los Blancos for a pre-agreed fee of €30 million.

8. Raúl de Tomás to Benfica (€20 Million, 2019)

A striker who worked his way up the Madrid academy system from aged 10, Raúl de Tomás only ever made one first-team appearance for his boyhood club—a substitute appearance in the Copa del Rey in 2014.

However, he impressed enough on loan at Real Valladolid and Rayo Vallecano that Benfica were convinced to splash out on him.

Ultimately, the deal did not work out for the Lisbon giants, who got just three goals in 17 games out of the forward who returned to Spain a year later.

7. Jesé Rodríguez to PSG (€25 Million, 2016)

After rising from the youth ranks to the status of senior squad member under José Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane, Jesé Rodríguez was eventually sold to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2016. His deal famously included an ‘anti-Barcelona’ clause which meant he couldn’t be later sold to Madrid’s great rivals.

The flamboyant forward failed to make much impact in France and PSG’s lofty ambitions led them to bigger and better targets. After four loan spells in as many seasons, he returned to Spain with boyhood club Las Palmas.

6. Marcos Llorente to Atlético Madrid (€30 Million, 2019)

Part of the Real Madrid setup from the age of 13, Marcos Llorente broke into the first team in 2015–16 and slowly began to establish himself as one of the country’s most promising young midfielders over the next few seasons.

However, unable to find a pathway to regular minutes as a starter, he switched sides to Atlético Madrid in the summer of 2019, where he remains to this day, having played 300 times as one of Diego Simeone’s most trusted generals.

5. Sergio Reguilón to Tottenham Hotspur (€30 Million, 2020)

Sergio Reguilon Real Madrid — Sergio Reguilón broke through at Madrid before moving on for a huge profit. | David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images

Given his first-team debut by interim coach Santiago Solari, homegrown product Sergio Reguilón made 22 appearances for Madrid during the 2018–19 season, as he competed with Marcelo for the left back berth.

After spending the next season on loan with Sevilla, where he won the Europa League, Spurs were convinced to go big on the defender, who has since spent time with Manchester United, Atlético Madrid and Inter Miami.

4. Gonzalo García to Fulham (€40 Million, 2026)

Prolific for the Castilla side in 2024–25, García made a name for himself at the inaugural Club World Cup where he finished as top scorer ahead of far more established names.

He then went into the 2025–26 season as Kylian Mbappé’s backup, netting eight goals in all competitions. He follows Álvaro Arbeloa to Fulham, while Los Blancos are reported to retain 30% of his economic rights.

3. Achraf Hakimi to Inter Milan (€43 Million, 2020)

After entering the first-team picture during the 2017–18 season, Madrid-born Achraf Hakimi caught the world’s attention in a two-year loan spell at Dortmund.

His lung-busting, all-action displays from right back prompted Inter Milan to stump up the most money Real Madrid have ever received for a defender.

After a season in Italy where he won Serie A, his stock has only continued to rise at Paris Saint-Germain, where he has played a pivotal role in back-to-back Champions League crowns.

2. Nico Paz to Como (€60 Million, 2026)

The 21-year-old Argentina star has shimmered by the lake in Italy under the tutelage of Cesc Fabregas.

After a mini-saga over whether he would return to Real Madrid this summer, a new bid-money deal was worked out for Como to gain full ownership of Nico Paz—though Madrid do still maintain a buy-back clause of €80 million.

1. Álvaro Morata to Chelsea (€66 Million, 2017)

Alvaro Morata struggled at Chelsea after his big-money move. | Getty/Catherine Ivill

Yes, Morata appears on this list twice. The forward has earned Madrid huge money in revenue over the years, while the total accumulated transfer fees from throughout his career are only topped by Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku.

After returning to the Bernabéu in 2016, Morata enjoyed a fruitful season, scoring 20 times in 43 appearances as Madrid won a league and Champions League double.

Despite his goal rate, he remained second fiddle to Karim Benzema and Madrid cashed in when Chelsea came calling.

Now 33, the forward has spent time with Atlético Madrid, AC Milan and Como.

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