Real Madrid sign players at a younger age compared to other clubs in the top-five leagues of Europe.

While Real Madrid became famous for their Galacticos transfer policy under Florentino Perez, a study shows their squad members were recruited at a younger age than those at any other top division club in Spain, England, Germany, France or Italy.

Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund of the Bundesliga were next on the list with Tottenham Hotspur ranking fifth.

Selected other clubs included Arsenal (12th), Barcelona (16th), Chelsea (24th), Bayern Munich (45th), Atletico Madrid (65th) and Manchester City (71st).

 

"Real Madrid squad members were on average recruited at the age of 22.5 years," the study found. "This is the lowest figure at big-five league level. German and English teams are over-represented in the top positions of the rankings.

"The best clubs focus their recruitment on younger players than less competitive teams. In the top five positions of clubs whose transfer policy is the most centered on young footballers are four Champions League participating teams: Real Madrid, Leverkusen, Dortmund and Tottenham.

"Conversely, no German club is among the 10 big-five league teams whose recruitment strategy focuses on the most seasoned [oldest] players. Italian side Cagliari is at the bottom of the table."

Current squad members to join Madrid before their 22nd birthday include Marcelo (18), Raphael Varane (18), Casemiro (20), Sergio Ramos (19), Karim Benzema (21), Mateo Kovacic (21) and Isco (21).

 

Expensive established stars Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez also all arrived at the Bernabeu in their mid-20s.