Most Expensive Older Players: Biggest Transfers for Footballers Over 32

Usually, the subjects of endless contract extension sagas and free transfers, yet some footballers over 32 did make clubs bring out the big chequebooks out. The most expensive older players don't have the fee bragging rights - except the one anomaly - but their record transfer holds a more different, maybe even more valuable weight.

Yes, the sports science has evolved to increase the career time of those willing to adhere to strict professionalism. Still, despite that, rare are the cases when footballers just on the other side of thirty aren't observed like the ugly girl at the bar - backup plan. Low-risk, high-reward type of signings. Usually signed on for free after their contract expired.

However, for these 11 most expensive older players, the fee attached to their names is a testament to their longevity through professionalism. Looking at transfers happening after the player’s 32nd birthday, and listing how old they were at the time of the move, here are the 11 players who defied the market norms, ranked on transfer sum.

#11 Nicolas Otamendi - €15M (Manchester City to Benfica) 32 years, 7 months, and 17 days

Having been a tremendous servant for Manchester City for five years, Otamandi has since played just 31 games fewer for Benfica! The 36-year-old played 179 times for the Eagles, all after featuring heavily for their rivals Porto in the past. Otamendi justified the money the Portuguese put into him and he easily enjoyed the best parts of his career since moving away from Etihad, although on the international stage winning two Copa Americas and the World Cup with Argentina.

#10 Keylor Navas €15M (Real Madrid to PSG) - Age: 32 years, 8 months, and 18 days

Including goalkeepers is almost cheating as they do tend to have longer careers, yet there are only two other goalkeepers on this list of most expensive players older than 32. Real even made a profit on their longtime GK, as they bought him for €10,000,000 in 2014 before shipping him off to PSG in 2019. The Costa Rican played in 114 games for The Saints, winning three Ligue 1 titles, four French Cup trophies, and three Supercups. He was the league's goalie of the year once too!

#9 Fernando Llorente - €15.1M (Swansea to Tottenham) 32 years, 6 months, and 5 days

A powerhouse in his home country, yet Fernando Llorente moved abroad late in the game after an early bad venture to Juventus. His move to Spurs in 2017 came just a year before Swanse bought him for under six million euros. His style as a big target man allowed him to be worth a lot well into his 30s and Llorente was a big part of the THFC run into the Champions League final. Although he only scored 13 goals and made six assists in his 66 games at the club.

#8 Cristiano Ronaldo - €17M (Juventus to Manchester United) - Age: 36 years, 6 months, 26 days

Spoiler alert - this is not the only time Cristiano Ronaldo appears on this list. His age did perhaps finally catch up to him as he made the cut for one of the most disappointing players at the Euro 2024, yet overall, he is a top 10 commonality. His last paid transfer, a sudden one that made even the hairs on the back of neutral fans stand up when announced, hindered his legacy slightly eventually. But hindsight has made it kinder, as MUFC struggled even more when he left and before he came back.

#7 Claudio Bravo- €18M (Barcelona to Manchester City) - Age: 33 years, 4 months, and 12 days

An important signing for Pep Guardiola when he arrived at Etihad, as any other manager would have a tough time convincing or justifying the investment in a goalie who was never a star. But a valuable ball-playing stabilizing factor for the transitional City side Pep was building. Bravo ended up playing in 61 games for City, the slight majority in non-league matches, and won two Premier League titles, one FA Cup, three League Cups, and a Community Shield.

#6 Bono - €21M (Sevilla to Al-Hilal) - Age: 32 years, 4 months, and 12 days

By 101TV Sevilla - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2EvWpAc8no, CC BY 3.0, Link

Before the Saudia Arabia transfer boom, Bono was already seen as a future goalkeeper for one of the biggest/richest Premier League sides. Yet Al-Hilal came knocking and the Arabic-speaking 32-year-old didn't have that big of a dilemma. Bono collected quite the trophy haul even though he moved only in 2023 - with two Saudi Supercups, one Cup, and one league title.

#5 Antoine Griezmann- €21M (Barcelona to Atletico Madrid) - 32 years, 3 month, and 11 days

As one of the most versatile players in the game, it's not surprising that Antoine Griezmann's talents override the fear recruitment teams have of players over 30. But in this case, Antoine was returning home to a club he knew already and he was coming off a big transfer flop at Barca. It was a no-brainer for Atleti, they received €120,000,000 for Griezmann in 2019, paid €10,000,000 for a two-year loan, and then bought him back. A total of €32,000,000! In his first season back as a proper Atleti player, Griezmann scored 24 goals and made eight assists in 48 matches.

#4 Kalidou Koulibaly - €23M (Chelsea to Al-Hilal) - 32 years, 0 month, 11 days

A player who was the subject of transfer rumours whose numbers reached the €100,000,000 mark, when Kalidou Koulibaly made his move away from Napoli it was for €42,000,000. A year later, Chelsea sold him for around half that. Even though he didn't reach the level expected of him outside of Serie A, on a personal level, Koulibaly still managed to be one of the five most expensive players over 32. Making the cut with only 11 days too and getting the same trophy haul as Bono.

#3 Riyad Mahrez - €35M (Manchester City to Al-Ahli) - 32 years, 5 months, and 7 days

By Clément Bucco-Lechat - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

One of the biggest transfers in the Saudi football boom, Riyad Mahrez could've continued in Europe easily. Yet the draw was also easy for him too due to his ability to speak Arabic. Mahrez has been instrumental with Al-Ahli, scoring 12 and making 15 assists in 34 games. Mahrez also signed a long-term contract with the club, until 2027, showing how many more options older football players have nowadays.

#2 Robert Lewandowski - €45M (Bayern Munich to Barcelona) - Age: 33 years, 10 months, and 29 days

One of the best players of the last decade and a prototype of a player who defies birthday candles through commitment and professionalism. Seeking a new challenge, Robert Lewandowski left the safety of Bayern Munich and tackled the challenge of La Liga, winning it at first go and becoming the league's top goalscorer for that 2022/2023 season. RL9 also captured the SuperCup that year but the steepness of the challenge rose with Real's resurgence.

Still, with 61 goals and 17 assists in 96 games with many teammates that have years as much as he had those assists - Lewandowski is proof that older players can deliver as key members of the squad at the highest levels.

#1 Cristiano Ronaldo - €117M (Real Madrid to Juventus) - Age: 33 years, 5 months, 5 days

Not only the most expensive player older than 32 (and 33), Cristiano Ronaldo also still holds the #10 as the most expensive transfer in the overall history of football!

Cristiano's stats would've been impressive for a player in his prime, not one that has arrived at Juventus past the consensus prime for a player. The "old man" Ronny played in 134 games for the Old Lady, scoring 101 goals and making 22 assists! Whilst playing for a very defensive coach too in Max Allegri for a good part of his stay in Italy, and overall working under three different coaches. Still winning Serie A twice, as well as the Italian Supercup, and the Cup itself once.

Three years, one month, and 21 days was Cristiano Ronaldo younger at the time of his move to Turin, compared to his departure from it. A time that - alongside the length of the contract - reduced his move fee to €100,000,000. Either way, commercially alone, these moves paid off for Juve and MUFC after.