Age is just a number, and in football, that can sometimes be the case given how some players continue to impress no matter how old they are, with Cristiano Ronaldo the prime example.
Whilst players tend to peak in their late twenties, some go one step beyond and shine at a top-flight level well into their thirties, much to the enjoyment of some Premier League clubs, who have managed to squeeze out some extra miles from some of the fittest athletes in football.
Indeed, signing a player supposedly in the final years of their career is always a risk for a big side, yet sometimes the gambles pay off, and here are five examples of veteran signings working wonders at clubs in the Premier League.
Fernando Llorente
Veteran strikers can either end up becoming cult heroes at clubs or fade into the background and be forgotten to the winds of history, and for Fernando Llorente at Tottenham, the Spanish striker did the former during his time in north London.
Signed from Swansea City, the then-32-year-old striker quickly established himself as an ideal backup to Harry Kane, with Llorente’s questionable goal against Manchester City in the 2019 UEFA Champions League one of the landmark moments in Tottenham’s modern history on their way to the final in Madrid.
Lukasz Fabianski
Goalkeepers are like a fine wine as in they consistently get better with age, and Lukasz Fabianski is just one example of a shot-stopper getting better with each passing season, with the Pole continuing to impress for West Ham since joining for a reported fee of £7m.
Edwin van der Sar enjoyed a similar resurgence to Fabianski when the then-34-year-old keeper signed for Manchester United in 2005, with the Dutchman going on to have a fantastic career with the Red Devils in a six-year stint at Old Trafford.
Gary Cahill
An often-overlooked member of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte’s Premier League-winning sides with Chelsea last decade, Gary Cahill left Stamford Bridge in 2019 for a free transfer to Crystal Palace, where the former England international was impressive under Roy Hodgson.
Now part of Scott Parker’s AFC Bournemouth side that will be back in the top-flight next season, Cahill could once again star in the Premier League at the age of 36, with the defender more than capable of competing at the highest level.
Thiago Silva
As seen with Cahill, Chelsea have often been a side that have got the best out of veteran defenders, and Thiago Silva might just be their best success story yet, with the 37-year-old centre-back not looking any older than the player who dominated the backline for AC Milan and PSG.
The Brazilian, who will be 38 in September, has been a mountain for Chelsea since joining in 2020, and Silva will be hopeful of leaving the west London side on a high when the defender’s contract comes to an end in 2023.
Cristiano Ronaldo
This feature started with Ronaldo and it will end with the legendary striker as the Portuguese international last summer returned to Manchester United at the age of 36 and has continued to strike fear into those who face him.
With 24 goals in all competitions, Ronaldo’s performances and mere presence has been one of the only positives at all for United this season, with fans hopeful that the striker will stick around in the summer despite no Champions League football next campaign for Erik Ten Hag’s side.
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