Players With the Longest Contracts in the Top Five Leagues: Long-Term Legionnaires

There has been a massive shift in the contract lengths of football players due to the financial fair play rules and the increase in salaries and bonuses. With longer contract value, the clubs can give the players bigger loyalty bonuses as they are spread over longer period of years. But there’s also the element of top-level talent being the most valuable asset in football. So the players with the longest contracts in the top five leagues either impressed the recruitment or the coaching staff at a major club.

We haven't included the contract of Barcelona's Vitor Roque who is on loan with Betis despite having a deal with Barca until 2031. As there is a purchase option in that deal.

Jon Moncayola (Osasuna) – Expires in June 2031 – 7 years

Not reserved just for the rich clubs and big stars, players with the longest contracts in the top five leagues are spread across Europe and have differing backstories. None more romantic than that of Jon Moncayola, who was with Osasuna since he was 10 years old and in 2021 decided for another 10 years sounds great. Now 26, the central midfielder has 196 games for the club he is primarily a fan of, and then a player.

Moises Caicedo (Chelsea) – Expires in June 2031 – 7 years

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Chelsea absolutely dominates this list of players with the longest contracts in the top five leagues with seven long-term deals locking up their top players. Moises Caicedo is the second-biggest purchase of the London club so it made sense that he signed a long-term contract with the Blues. But eight years is a new type of standard. As is the money Brighton received for his transfer, making him one of the most profitable deals ever. But for Chelsea, it hasn't yet turned out as such with the slow clock ticking.

Mykhailo Mudryk (Chelsea) – Expires in June 2031 – 7 years

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Unable to utilise his rabbit-like speed encumbered by not only his hefty price tag but also by the length of the contract - Mykhailo Mudryk is a prime example of the high gamble long-term contracts are. While the winger was unstoppable with Shakthar, scoring 12 and making 17 assists in 44 games, his output greatly faltered at Chelsea with seven goals and seven assists in 66 games. But the greater issue is the overall of how his game looks, with questionable decision-making, poor shooting, and selfishness. But, CFC gave the Ukranian a eight and a half year contract in January of 2023 and now HAVE to make it work with him.

Pedro Neto (Chelsea) – Expires in June 2031 – 7 years

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Pedro Neto received a long-term contract from Chelsea despite being injury-prone and inconsistent with Wolves after bouncing between Lazio and Braga. The winger has undeniable skill, but in 135 games for Wolves, he only scored 14 goals and made 24 assists. At the age of 24 he has only 13 caps for Portugal. Yet the Blues locked him up until 2031 when he will be 31.

Ricardo Veiga (Chelsea) - expires in June 2031 - 7 years

Renato Veiga had 39 senior club appearances at the time of his arrival at Stamford Bridge, and he wasn't paid a lot by CFC's standards at €14,000,000. Yet even he received an immediate contract for seven years in 2024, with an option for extending the deal for another year! Although, as he is a 190 centimetre tall, Portugal-capped left-back, it's not surprising that current Chelsea made a big commitment.

Joao Felix (Chelsea) - expires in June 2031 - 7 years

A man with a €120,000,000 transfer flop warning by his head - and a disappointing loan to Chelsea - still received a massive contract from the Blues. Maybe the owners of the London club know something the rest of the owners don't. Not about Felix, but the financial market's future. Felix was loaned to CFC in the latter half of the 2022/2023 season, he played 20 games and scored only four times with no assists! Yet the 24-year-old received a massive deal five years after Atleti made a major mistake in buying him. Although it was a clearly poor transfer for both parties and now it looks similar.

Filip Jorgensen (Chelsea) – Expires in June 2031 – 7 years

A Chelsea prospect for the goalkeeping position, which fairly does make the most sense when it comes to long-term contracts. The 22-year-old Dane has arrived after playing 44 games in his senior career, all for Villarreal, and made four appearances for CFC since his €24,500,000 move. As he will be 29 by the time his contract runs out, he will still have a career worth of football ahead of him.

Maximilian Kilman (West Ham United) – Expires in June 2031 – 7 years

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There's something in London it seems, as West Ham is one of the few clubs that made these long-term contracts but with the least context. Especially as Maximilian Kilman is the oldest of the players with the longest contracts in the top five leagues at 27. By the time his time with WHU is done, he will be 34. As he hasn't played over 200 senior games in his career, the decision seems peculiar until Kilman's English nationality is taken into consideration. As well as the price tag of €47,500,000.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham United) – Expires in June 2031 – 7 years

Never reaching the hype that he had before moving to Manchester United, with ample opportunities for it as he played 190 games for MUFC, Aaron Wan-Bissaka landed in a more fitting space. His fee wasn't a large one at €17,600,000 but WHU leaders still wanted to secure the 26-year-old Premier League veteran for the long-run. His England passport and his status of a domestic product played a big role.

Benat Prados (Athletic Bilbao) – Expires in June 2031 – 7 years

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A Pamplona-born central midfielder is one of three Athletic Bilbao representatives who is amongst the players with the longest contracts in Europe's top five leagues. Aged 23, he is locked in until his 31st birthday after a contract extension in 2024 and as he already has 42 appearances for the club he could easily ruffle up some record books at San Mames.

Oihan Sancet (Athletic Bilbao) – Expires in June 2032 – 8 years

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A club known for its specific loyalty to local players isn't a surprising inclusion on this list, Athletic Bilbao cannot afford to risk losing key members of the squad. Oihan Sancet received a massive contract offer in the spring of 2023 and the Pamplona-born player readied his pen. Making his debut in 2020, he now has 166 games for Bilbao, with 30 goals and 15 assists from the attacking midfielder position mostly.

Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea) – Expires in June 2032 – 8 years

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Chelsea's biggest-ever purchase is also the man who received a nine-and-a-half-year contract upon arriving in the winter of 2023. Unsurprisingly, as he was arriving as a World Cup winner. The midfielder has been steadily employed since, playing in over 70 games for Chelsea. As he is 23 still, he will be 31 by the time his deal with CFC expires. Of course, unless a new extension is applied.

Daniel Vivian (Athletic Bilbao) – Expires in June 2032 – 8 years

A year later after Sancet, Bilbao prepared another massive contract for another player who entered the squad in 2020. Dani Vivian is a 25-year-old centre-back for Athletic Bilbao and for Spain, with six caps. While he has 113 appearances for the club. With his resume, a massive contract was needed, but clearly, Bilbao sees Vivian, Prados, and Sancet as the spine of the team for the time being.

Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea) – Expires in June 2033 – 9 years

Chelsea has been yearning for their new Didier Drogba for years, spending ungodly amounts of money on proper number 9 strikers. Even though Nicolas Jackson wasn't the talk of the market, with 13 goals and six assists in 48 games for Villarreal, the Blues gambled on the Senegalese player. One of the few recent dances with luck that paid of at Stamford Bridge as he recorded 30 goal involvements in 52 games (21G/9A). Earning a massive contract extension in September of 2024, a year after his arrival, that will keep him in London until he is 32.

Cole Palmer (Chelsea) – Expires in June 2033 – 9 years

Palmer is looking to become one of the best purchases in Chelsea history, not due to their own recruitment acumen, but more due to Manchester City's long player queue. Palmer has been putting in Haaland-like numbers in his 54 games for Chelsea, with 31 goals and 20 assists! Hence it was no surprise that the Stamford Bridge executives continued their practice of long-term commitment by offering Palmer an extension until 2033 in August of 2024. As he is 22 now, Palmer would still be in his prime at the time of his contract end.

Maybe in 10 years time, this Chelsea’s tactic to have the most players with the longest contracts in the top five leagues will look like a brilliant tactic. Or just as an FFP-defying scheme.