Ranking the 5 best free-agent signings in Real Madrid history

4. Luis Milla

Rising through the ranks at the Catalan club, FC Barcelona; Luis Milla played through all possible stages there. He earned a first-team spot before being involved in a controversial contract extension dispute with the board members at Catalonia and the then-manager, Johan Cruyff. This ultimately resulted in him joining the exact opposite giants of Spain, Real Madrid in 1990.

Milla’s stay at the Bernabeu was a seven years-long stay, in which he made 165 appearances for the club and anchored the Defensive midfield role. Scoring goals wasn’t his mainstay, he’d rather stay orthodox and guard out all possible danger. He scored just three goals in his 165 official appearances.

Milla had to wait for his first title in the White Shirt. In 1993, Real Madrid won the Supercopa de Espana and that went down as Milla’s first title with the club. In the same season, they managed to win the Copa del Rey as well. Later, in 1994-95, Real Madrid won the league and two seasons later another league win would put a full stop to Milla’s trophy cabinet with Real Madrid.

He stayed a crucial campaigner for Los Blancos throughout these wins and was even fairly used after the marquee signing of Fernando Redondo in 1994. He is one of the first players to compel Real Madrid into considering free agents as a real option in squad development rather than just splashing the cash for Superstars.