Who are the oldest signings in Premier League history? Learn the biggest transfers involving players over the age of 33 and what impact they had at their clubs!
In football, transfer strategies have largely shifted towards trying to unearth young players with untapped potential. Sometimes, however, it’s experience that can be most beneficial, as players who have spent years at the top level can add experience, tactical knowledge and other attributes to improve a team, offering alternative qualities to youth and potential.
But which of the oldest signings in Premier League history have had a real impact on their new clubs?
With transfer season in full swing, it’s worth recapping some of the oldest signings that clubs have made, with multiple appearing among the Premier League betting favourites throughout their careers for everything from goals scored to clean sheets. So, let’s look at the time they spent with their clubs and how they made a difference despite some of them being well into their 30s.
Big-name signings of players in their 30s
While this isn’t a definitive ranking of the oldest Premier League signings, below is a table covering some of the highest-profile players to have moved in their 30s!
Player | Age | Club Signed For |
Teddy Sheringham | 37 | Portsmouth |
Frank Lampard | 37 | Manchester City |
James Milner | 37 | Brighton |
Cristiano Ronaldo | 36 | Manchester United |
Didier Drogba | 36 | Chelsea |
Thiago Silva | 36 | Chelsea |
Gareth Barry | 36 | West Brom |
Danny Welbeck | 35 | Chelsea |
Zlatan Ibrahimovic | 34 | Manchester United |
Edwin van der Sar | 34 | Manchester United |
Jens Lehmann | 33 | Arsenal |
Now we’ve covered some of the biggest transfers of players in their 30s, let’s go into some more detail on their moves and discuss the impact they had at their new clubs:
Teddy Sheringham – 37 (Portsmouth)
After Sheringham’s Tottenham contract expired when the 2002/03 season came to an end, the club decided to part ways with the Englishman. He did, however, get a one-year contract offer to join Portsmouth in their first season in the Premier League.
Upon joining Pompey, Sheringham managed to become the oldest player in Premier League history to net a hat-trick, after putting three goals past Bolton’s defence. Netting ten goals in 38 appearances, it’s hard to say he wasn’t an impactful player, even helping the team to a 13th-place finish in the league.
Frank Lampard – 37 (Manchester City)
After the Chelsea legend’s contract expired at the end of the 2013/14 season, Frank Lampard joined Manchester City for one season. Making his debut in early September against Arsenal, it only took him until the end of the month to net his first goal. Unfortunately for him, it came against his former club, Chelsea, and resulted in a 2-2 draw, ending the Blues’ winning streak that season.
Lampard continued to have an impact throughout the season, scoring multiple goals in League Cup appearances, and even grabbing the winning goal against Sunderland in the Premier League. The end of the season saw Lampard captain Man City in their final game, scoring his 177th Premier League goal to earn the team a 2-0 win over Southampton and conclude his one-year spell on a high.
James Milner – 37 (Brighton)
Another who moved on a free transfer is the player with the most Premier League appearances of all time, James Milner. Though he may have started his time with Brighton behind others in the appearance rankings, he soon overtook them.
Six months after joining the Seagulls, he managed to overtake Ryan Giggs, but it took him another two years to surpass Gareth Barry’s impressive tally. Milner’s time at Brighton also saw him see out his career while never losing a Premier League game in which he scored.
His final season at the Amex saw him help Brighton back to a European spot after the Seagulls finished in eighth place, qualifying for the Europa Conference League.
Cristiano Ronaldo – 36 (Manchester United)
It was a fairytale return for Cristiano Ronaldo as he walked back into Old Trafford in 2021 after 12 years away. Once his time at Juventus came to an end, Man United reached an agreement with the Italian giants for just €17m, which was enough to bring one of the best players in Premier League history back for a second spell at the club.
Ronaldo scored a brace on his second United debut, netting the first two in a 4-1 victory against Newcastle at Old Trafford. The 36-year-old was crucial in United’s campaign, grabbing a last-minute winner against Villarreal in the Champions League, as well as scoring more goals to help the Red Devils top the group.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner managed to score 24 goals in all competitions, being named in the Premier League Team of the Year. Unfortunately for him, he went trophyless for the first time since 2010 and the relationship between him and then-manager Erik ten Hag soured. This led to his contract being terminated in November 2022, just part-way through his second season back at United.
Didier Drogba – 36 (Chelsea)
After his Chelsea contract expired in 2012, Didier Drogba had spells at Shanghai Shenhua and Galatasaray, but after only two years away from Stamford Bridge, he made a surprise return.
Linking back up with his former manager Jose Mourinho, Drogba was able to have a special season despite his age, with the Ivorian striker helping the Blues to win the Premier League title. He may have only netted four times in the league, but his goals were important to the campaign, including scoring a crucial header in a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
Despite only coming back for one season, it’s hard to say he didn’t have a successful return, even if he played more of a supporting role. Drogba also ended his second spell at Chelsea as the highest-scoring African player in Premier League history, establishing himself in the record books more than before, and solidifying himself among Chelsea’s best players ever.
Thiago Silva – 36 (Chelsea)
After eight years at PSG, the club thought that he was past his prime, but Chelsea took the gamble on the 36-year-old and offered him a one-year contract with an option to extend for a further year.
Frank Lampard may have been in charge when he signed for the Blues, but halfway through the season, his former PSG manager Thomas Tuchel took charge in January 2021. The experienced Brazilian centre-back helped to lead Chelsea’s backline as they went on to win the 2020/21 Champions League title 1-0 against Manchester City – the second in the club’s history.
Silva played a large part in Chelsea’s success under Tuchel, winning the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup as well as reaching a League Cup and FA Cup final.
In his final season at Stamford Bridge, Silva scored in a 2-2 draw against Sheffield United aged 39 years and 198 days, becoming the second 39-year-old to score three or more goals in one season – following in the footsteps of Teddy Sheringham!
The defender remained at Chelsea until 2024, departing the club aged 39.
Gareth Barry – 36 (West Brom)
One of the longest-serving players to have ever featured in the Premier League, Gareth Barry held the record for appearances in the division for many years before James Milner overtook him in his final season.
Barry made the switch from Everton to West Brom in 2017, joining the newly promoted team for an undisclosed fee. The Englishman received high praise from manager Tony Pulis and helped the Baggies to a 1-0 win on his debut against Burnley.
Throughout the season, Barry only managed one goal and one assist in his 25 appearances, which wasn’t enough to stop the team’s relegation, with the club finishing bottom of the table.
Danny Welbeck – 35 (Chelsea)
One of the most recent additions to this list is the English striker Danny Welbeck. As new manager Xabi Alonso looks to establish his philosophy and bulk out his squad, Welbeck has become one of his first signings after making the move from Brighton.
The experienced striker enters a youthful dressing room at Stamford Bridge and will bring some much-needed know-how to the frontline. With 13 goals and one assist in his final Premier League season for the Seagulls, he’s still proving he can produce solid numbers, even in his mid-thirties.
Having played in the Premier League for Man United, Sunderland, Arsenal, Watford, and Brighton, he brings a wealth of experience to Chelsea and will no doubt be a key figure both on and off the pitch.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic – 34 (Manchester United)
After departing from PSG in 2016, Swedish legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic joined Manchester United as a free agent on a one-year contract with an option to extend based on performance.
Ibrahimovic was reunited with his former Inter Milan manager, Jose Mourinho, and went on to score 17 goals in his 28 Premier League appearances. The Swedish striker helped lead United to Europa League victory, being an important part of their run to the final prior to a knee injury.
He may have only had one good season with the club, after terminating his contract during the 2017/18 campaign, but leaving with a Europa League, League Cup, and Community Shield is more than impressive in such a short stint.
Edwin van der Sar – 34 (Manchester United)
Not much can be said about Edwin van der Sar’s career at Man United that hasn’t already been said. Despite joining United from Fulham at the age of 34, van der Sar made himself one of the club’s greatest-ever goalkeepers.
Keeping 21 clean sheets in the 2008/09 season, the Dutch shot-stopper managed to add himself to the list of Golden Glove winners, ending a streak of three in a row for Liverpool’s Pepe Reina. Between his second season in 2006/07 and the 2010/11 campaign, van der Sar helped Man United to win four of five Premier League titles, a Champions League in 2007/08, a FIFA Club World Cup, two League Cups, and three Community Shields.
His final game for the club was against Barcelona in the Champions League final, where United lost 3-1. Despite the disappointment, van der Sar still left with a record, becoming the oldest male player to feature in a European Cup final since it became known as the Champions League.
Jens Lehmann – 33 (Arsenal)
After making the move from Borussia Dortmund, his career with the Gunners began in the best way anyone could imagine. The German shot-stopper helped Arsenal to win the Premier League title unbeaten – earning the team the name ‘the Invincibles’.
Lehmann may have had big boots to fill after he succeeded one of Arsenal’s greatest goalkeepers, David Seaman, but he did just that. Playing 54 times in his first season, he more than contributed to Arsenal’s legendary campaign, even helping take the Gunners to the Champions League final a few years later in 2006.
After his first season, however, he struggled to maintain form and competed for his place against his Spanish understudy, Manuel Almunia. Regardless of the reputation he had following his initial season, he’ll always be a well-remembered figure in Arsenal’s history books.
