Ranking Carlo Ancelotti's Best Signings at Real Madrid | OneFootball

Since returning to Real Madrid in June 2021, Carlo Ancelotti signed some of the best players in the world.

At the end of the 2024–25 season, Ancelotti is bidding farewell to the Spanish capital for the Brazil national team. The 65-year-old is leaving as the winningest manager in Real Madrid history thanks to the 15 titles he added to Los Blancos' trophy cabinet in his six total seasons at the helm.

Of the 15 trophies, 11, including two Champions League and two La Liga titles, came in Ancelotti's second stint in charge of Real Madrid. To achieve such success in both Europe and Spain, the Italian manager needed to bring in world-class players. From the blockbuster transfers of Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham to more underrated signings like Joselu, Ancelotti welcomed history-makers to the biggest club in the world.

Here's Ancelotti's best seven signings in his second stint at Real Madrid ranked.

Ranking Carlo Ancelotti's Best Signings at Real Madrid

7. Arda Güler

Arda Güler has high potential at Real Madrid. / IMAGO/Pressinphoto

Arda Güler arguably has the highest ceiling of just about any of Ancelotti's signings for Real Madrid. The 20-year-old joined the club last season from Fenerbahçe and became the first Turkish player to ever win the Champions League.

From his spectacular left foot to his clinical passing and playmaking ability, Güler is a star in the making at Real Madrid...with the right development. The Turkey international spent most of this season on the bench, a decision by Ancelotti that was met with plenty of criticism given Real Madrid's lack of creativity up top.

With Alonso reportedly on his way back to the Spanish capital, the former Bayer Leverkusen manager could truly unlock Güler's potential and take the player to new heights.

6. Eduardo Camavinga

Eduardo Camavinga is still finding his place at Real Madrid. / IMAGO/Pressinphoto

Eduardo Camavinga transferred from Stade Rennais to Real Madrid for the 2021–22 season and already has two Champions League titles in his trophy cabinet at age 22. The Frenchman is a technically gifted player that can play as a defensive or central midfielder, as well as an emergency left back.

Camavinga's time in Madrid has been marred by injury, though. This season alone, the midfielder has suffered long-term knee, muscle and hamstring injuries that have kept him on the sidelines for approximately four total months.

When looking at Ancelotti's other midfield signings (see below), Camavinga is on the outside looking in.

5. Joselu

Joselu sent Real Madrid to the 2024 Champions League final. / IMAGO/Alex Perez

Joselu might have only made 51 appearances in his short Real Madrid career, but he etched his name in club lore. The Spaniard joined Los Blancos from Espanyol for the 2023–24 season and the rest is history.

Among his 18 goals across all competitions last season, Joselu bagged a brace in the dying moments against Bayern Munich to send Real Madrid to the Champions League final. Los Blancos were down 3–2 on aggregate with just two minutes left in regulation of the second leg of the Champions League semifinals when Joselu found the back of the net twice. The Champions League night at the Santiago Bernabéu will live forever.

Perhaps the best way to encapsulate Joselu's importance to Real Madrid is to look at this season's squad. So many of Los Blancos' poor defeats came from not having a natural striker that could come off the bench and change the game for the Spanish giants. Joselu did that (and more) in his one season under Ancelotti.

4. Aurélien Tchouaméni

Aurélien Tchouaméni is a great defensive midfielder that can also play as a center back. / IMAGO/ZUMA Press Wire

Aurélien Tchouaméni left Monaco to join Real Madrid ahead of the 2022–23 season. The Frenchman came into the team as the replacement for Casemiro, but it took some time for Tchouaméni to find his footing alongside Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić.

As he developed under Ancelotti, though, the 25-year-old eventually became a staple in Los Blancos' midfield. Tchouaméni played a major role in getting Real Madrid to the 2024 Champions League final, which he could not play in due to injury.

Tchouaméni became even more important to Real Madrid in Ancelotti's final campaign. An injury crisis forced the midfielder to play as a center back for much of the 2024–25 season, and although he struggled at times, Real Madrid would not have even managed a second-place La Liga finish without the Frenchman accepting and adopting his new role.

3. Antonio Rüdiger

Antonio Rüdiger joined Real Madrid on a free transfer from Chelsea. / IMAGO/NurPhoto

Where would Real Madrid be without Antonio Rüdiger? The Germany international left Chelsea at the end of the 2021–22 season and joined Real Madrid on a free transfer. In the ensuing years, he has become an irreplaceable part of Los Blancos' backline.

In the wake of Éder Militão and David Alaba's fitness struggles, Rüdiger stepped up to lead Real Madrid's defense. In fact, he played the first half of the 2024–25 season as the only available first-team center back before Ancelotti started utilizing Raúl Asencio.

With an ever-changing supporting cast, Rüdiger has risen to every occasion for Los Blancos, none more important than his outstanding performance against Borussia Dortmund in the 2024 Champions League final.

2. Kylian Mbappé

Kylian Mbappé broke the Real Madrid debut season goalscoring record. / IMAGO/Pressinphoto

Ancelotti might be leaving Real Madrid without winning a major trophy this season, but that does not diminish Mbappé's success since his transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. With three games left to go in the 2024–25 season, the Frenchman has already bagged 39 goals across all competitions, breaking Real Madrid's debut season goalscoring record.

Mbappé also leads the Pichichi race with 27 La Liga goals and is the only player to score multiple hat tricks in La Liga this season. Had the forward not gotten off to a slow start and missed time due to various injuries, his numbers would likely be even more impressive.

In one season, the France captain has taken the crown as Real Madrid's best goalscorer, a title he will undoubtedly retain moving forward.

1. Jude Bellingham

Jude Bellingham won the Champions League and La Liga in his debut season. / IMAGO/Goal Sports Images

Jude Bellingham is without a doubt the best signing of Ancelotti's second stint at Real Madrid. The 21-year-old joined the club from Borussia Dortmund ahead of the 2023–24 season and produced one of the best overall debut seasons in the history of the club.

Bellingham helped Real Madrid win the Champions League, La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup in his first season in a white shirt. The England international finished third in the 2024 Ballon d'Or voting thanks to his 23 goals and 13 assists across all competitions.

Although Bellingham failed to produce the same numbers in his second season, he still was one of Real Madrid's most consistent, versatile, creative and clutch players in their 2024–25 campaign.