Top 5 stars Real Madrid signed using their buy-back clause
Posted Monday, January 21, 2019 by Foxsports.com
It is extremely difficult for youngsters to break into the Real Madrid first team. Hence, they've sold many talented youngsters with a buy-back clause and exercised the option when necessary.
#5. Mariano Diaz Mejia
Mariano Diaz scored plenty of goals for Real Madrid's youth and reserve sides before getting an unlikely opportunity with the first team at the age of 23. He scored five goals in 14 games across all competitions but four of those goals came against lower division side Deportiva Leonesa.
He was sold to Olympique Lyon in 2017 for £7.1m and at the French club, Diaz scored 21 times in 48 games across all competitions.
In Diaz's case, Real Madrid had a first refusal right rather than a buy-back clause. He was close to completing a switch to Sevilla last summer when Real Madrid swooped in and signed him for a little less than £20m.
Upon returning to Real Madrid, Mariano was given the iconic number seven kit left vacant by Cristiano Ronaldo but so far, he has had more injuries than goals for Real Madrid.
#4. Alvaro Morata
Alvaro Morata is a product of the Real Madrid youth system but after winning the Champions League in 2014, they sold him to Juventus for £15.8m
At Juventus, Morata scored only 27 times in 93 games but he famously knocked Real Madrid out of the Champions League in 2015 by scoring in each leg of the semifinal before going on to score in the final as well.
In 2016, Real Madrid used their buy-back clause to bring him back to Spain for £23.7m. However, he once again spent the season as an understudy to Karim Benzema but still scored 20 times in 43 games.
Morata was sold to Chelsea in 2017 for around £60 million but the Spaniard has been unbelievably poor in England is now on the verge of completing a return to Spain with Atletico Madrid.
#3. Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto's played seven times for the Real Madrid first team without scoring before being sold to Mallorca in 2000. At the time of his transfer, Real Madrid transferred only 50% of his economic rights to Mallorca which gave them control over his future.
Despite scoring 70 times for Mallorca in 165 games, Florentino Perez didn't believe he was worthy of the Real Madrid shirt and played a hand in his £16m move to arch-rivals Barcelona.
The Cameroonian went on to score 130 goals in 199 games for Barcelona and won eight trophies including the treble in his fifth and final season. He then made history by winning the treble in consecutive seasons after he moved to Inter Milan.
#2. Dani Carvajal
When Jose Mourinho was in charge of Real Madrid, he permanently shifted Sergio Ramos to the centre-back position which left Alvaro Arbeloa as the club's first choice right-back.
Real Madrid needed a younger and more reliable player in the right-back position and used their buy-back option to bring Dani Carvajal back to the club for only €6.5m after only one season with Bayer Leverkusen.
The Spaniard who is a product of Real's academy had an impressive season in Germany and made the right-back position his upon returning to the club. He is currently one of the best right-backs in the world and has played a crucial role in Real's success in recent years.
#1. Casemiro
Rafael Benitez's stint as Real Madrid manager was short and forgettable but his decision to bring Casemiro back to the club was one his best ever in his entire managerial career.
Casemiro joined Real Madrid on loan from Sao Paulo and the move was later made permanent. In 2014, he was sent on loan to Porto and after an impressive season on loan, Real Madrid used their buy-back clause to bring him back to the club for €7.5m.
The Brazilian has been a crucial member of the Los Blancos squad since and has played 176 games so far. The midfield of Casemiro, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos was a key reason behind Madrid's success under Zinedine Zidane.
Honourable mentions - Alvaro Negredo and Esteban Granero
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