Real Madrid's 16 worst ever signings ranked after Eden Hazard set for release | OneFootball

Four years after joining Real Madrid, Los Blancos have confirmed that Eden Hazard will be leaving the club.

It is a gutting end to what the former Belgium captain once called his “dream” move.

Hazard’s career in Spain was riddled with injuries, with the winger only making 76 appearances in all competitions.

He has been a shadow of the player that he was while at Chelsea.

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The €120m move was a massive disappointment for all parties, and it would be hard to find anyone in the Spanish capital who doesn’t consider it one of the worst transfers in the club’s history.

But is it the worst bit of business Madrid have ever done?

The team at GOAL have taken a look at all the signings that Real have made, and have picked and ranked their 16 worst bits of business.

Apparent Galacticos, like Hazard, have been signed for big money, only to fail to live up to expectations at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Without further ado, here are the worst signings that Madrid have ever made.

16. Danilo - Porto - €31.5m (2015)

15. Julien Faubert - West Ham - Loan (2009)

14. Royston Drenthe - Feyenoord - €14m (2007)

13. Antonio Cassano - Roma - €5m (2006)

12. Javier Saviola - Barcelona - Free (2007)

11. Pedro Leon - Getafe - €10m (2010)

10. Reinier – Flamengo - €30m (2020)

9. Robert Prosinecki - Red Star - €15m (1991)

8. Walter Samuel - Roma - €25m (2004)

7. Nicolas Anelka - Arsenal - €34.5m (1999)

6. James Rodriguez - Monaco - €80m (2014)

5. Elvir Baljic - Fenerbahce - €26m (1999)

4. Kaka - AC Milan - €65m (2009)

3. Jonathan Woodgate - Newcastle - €18.3m (2004)

2. Luka Jovic - Eintracht Frankfurt - €66m (2019)

1. Eden Hazard - Chelsea - €120m (2019)

Hazard the worst of the lot

Yes, that’s right. GOAL believes that the former Chelsea man is the worst signing Real have ever made.

And to be fair to them it’s hard to argue otherwise.

Although it’s been a success in terms of trophies won, Hazard was meant to be the next star in the Spanish capital.

For him to have his contract terminated a year early by mutual consent, with just seven goals to his name, shows just how badly this move has gone.

The 32-year-old just pips Serbian striker Jovic, who had a torrid three-year stay in Spain after a big-money move from Germany, to top spot.

Ballon d'Or winner Kaka in the top five

But what about some of the other big names on the list?

One of the biggest in that group is World Cup and Champions League winner Kaka, who joined for a world record transfer fee in 2009.

Having been named the best player in the world in 2007, expectations were high. But Kaka’s La Liga career was stunted by injuries, and he would only go on to play 120 games for Madrid.

A league title and Spanish cup would come during that time, but he would rejoin Milan four years later.

Not what Madrid would have expected when they signed one of the best players in the world who was just entering his prime.

Rodriguez’s downward trajectory since Madrid

Someone else who catches the eye is Colombian midfielder Rodriguez, who joined after a sensational 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

And it appeared like he would carry that form forward, ending his first year in Madrid with 16 goals and 15 assists in all competitions.

But that year and two Champions Leagues in the subsequent two seasons would be the peak of his La Liga career.

In 2017, he would join German giants Bayern Munich on loan, and he would depart Madrid permanently in 2020 for Everton.

After one season in England and stints with Al-Rayyan and Olympiacos, he now finds himself without a club.

Who would have thought that nine years ago…

Two players who shined after failed Madrid moves

Ending on a lighter note, we thought we’d draw attention to two players who failed at Madrid but had success after moving on.

Argentine centre-back Walter Samuel joined after four years at Roma, where he helped I Giallorossi lift the Scudetto in the 2000/01 season.

But he would only remain in Spain for one year, signing for Inter in 2005 and returning to Italy.

There, he would become one of the most successful players in Serie A, lifting a Champions League and five more Scudettos in nine years.

Anelka, meanwhile, would also only survive for one year in Madrid, moving to Paris Saint-Germain in 2000.

The French striker would go on to become a journeyman, playing for 12 different clubs in total, but lifting trophies with Chelsea, Fenerbahce, and Juventus after leaving Spain.