10 Signings Real Madrid Want You To Forget About

Galacticos? Not quite.

Real Madrid's Thomas Gravesen of Denmark reacts during a 2nd round, 1st leg, Champions league soccer match against Arsenal at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Tuesday Feb. 21, 2006. Arsenal won the game 1-0. (AP Photo/Paul White)
PAUL WHITE/AP

Real Madrid are arguably the most marketable team on the planet. With 32 La Liga title wins and 10 European Cups, they are also the most successful football club the continent has ever seen. 

With success in football comes money, and Real Madrid have shown over the years that they are not afraid to sign the most talented and high profile players on the planet - no matter what the cost. After all, the two most expensive transfer fees of all time have been paid by the Spanish giants, with £80m and £85.3m paid in the last six years for Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale respectively.

But is every player who signs for Los Blancos a resounding success? Is every player who holds up the famous white shirt before the world's media destined for great things? Far from it. For every Galactico, every world transfer record and every club icon, there's a player that just couldn't make the step up. Like even the most successful clubs, Real Madrid don't always do business well, and there is no shortage of questionable signings and major footballing flops that the club would probably rather we all forget...

10. Royston Drenthe

Real Madrid's Thomas Gravesen of Denmark reacts during a 2nd round, 1st leg, Champions league soccer match against Arsenal at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Tuesday Feb. 21, 2006. Arsenal won the game 1-0. (AP Photo/Paul White)
Paul White/AP/Press Association Images

Big things were expected of Drenthe when he was presented to the world's media alongside Dutch compatriot Wesley Sneijder in 2007. The winger signed for Real Madrid from Feyenoord for a fee reported to be in the region of €14m, and really looked the part when he scored from 35 yards on his debut at the Bernabeu.

But the tide quickly turned for Drenthe. The Dutchman missed a significant amount of game time due to anxiety in his second season, after he was booed by the Real Madrid fans during a 1-0 victory over Deportivo De La Coruna. His coach at the time Juande Ramos revealed he had asked not to be picked to play following the incident, and rarely featured for the first team the following campaign.

He was subsequently loaned out to Hercules and Everton, before leaving Real Madrid upon his contract expiring in June 2012. Since then, the 28 year-old has had playing spells with Russian outfit Alania Vladikavkaz as well as English clubs Reading and Sheffield Wednesday. He now plies his trade with Kayseri Erciyesspor in Turkey, who he joined in January 2015. 

Though he showed flashes of brilliance, Drenthe has never fulfilled his potential, with questions over his work ethic and attitude. He now boasts the unlikely accolade of being regretted by both Real Madrid and Reading.

Contributor
Contributor

Journalism student hopping between London and the North-East. Boxing enthusiast and Football Manager addict. Was diagnosed with supporting Sunderland AFC as a child.