While football is shifting towards becoming a young man’s game more and more as the years go by, you still can’t do without having a few sturdy veterans on your team. The Premier League is known for its physicality and strong play, so you have to know how to position yourself to impact the team.
Having a veteran player is also good for the locker room. A player who has seen it all, done it all, will often have the greatest authority in the locker room and influence on the team. They usually motivate their peers and help younger players develop into future stars.
This year, the Premier League does not lack experience. We have compiled a list of the 10 oldest Premier League players who are still making an impact on their teams.
10. Ben Mee (35 years old) Brentford
Date of Birth: September 21, 1989
Ben Mee has become a staple of Brentford’s defence. A team known for protecting the net and allowing the fewest number of goals in the past few years. Most of it is owed to Ben Mee. He made an impact at Burnley where he played for 10 years. Six of them were in the Premier League. He was even a part of the famed side which qualified for the Europa League during the 2018/19 season.
For the past three years, he has been with Brentford and has become one of the most reliable players in the squad. He might be one of the Premier League’s oldest players now and his playing time has been significantly reduced this season, mostly due to an injury that he suffered last year, he still has the chops to step on the field wherever Thomas Frank requires of him.
9. Neto (35 years old) Arsenal
Date of Birth: July 19, 1989
Neto is one of the more experienced goalkeepers in the Premier League. Having played in Italy (Fiorentina and Juventus) and Spain (Valencia and Barcelona), he breathes in security and experience whenever he stands between the posts. He moved to England during the 2022/23 season and originally joined AFC Bournemouth on loan.
He immediately captured the number one spot which prompted the Cherries to make his move permanent the very next year. However, due to Kepa Arrizabalaga joining this season, he will feature for Arsenal as a reserve keeper. He might be the oldest Premier League player on their squad, but he will without a doubt be ready to step in for David Raya whenever called for.
8. Martin Dúbravka (35 years) Newcastle United
Date of Birth: January 15, 1989
Another goalkeeper of our oldest players in theis Martin Dúbravka. A long-time serving member of Newcastle, having been with the Georides since the 2017/18 season, he now serves as the backup goalkeeper for Nick Pope. He spent a year on a loan at Manchester United. But the Magpies were happy to have him back, and as things stand, the Slovakian international may even retire in Newcastle.
While he hasn’t been featuring regularly ever since the 2021/22 season, when he made 26 appearances, he stepped in when it mattered the most for the Magpies. Last season, during Pope’s absence, he played for 23 games, racking up five clean sheets. While currently appearing only in the EFL Cup, if an opportunity knocks, we might see him more.
7. Seamus Coleman (35 years) Everton
Date of Birth: October 11, 1988
He was one of the best right-backs in the league during his high days. Seamus Coleman, the sturdy Irishman, seems like he doesn’t want to retire. Appearing for Everton since 2009, he has been a loyal servant of the Toffees and a genuine one-club man, racking up 365 appearances for the club.
Even though we are seeing less and less of Coleman on the pitch in recent years, he has been an important member of the squad despite all the coaching changes. When he decides to retire, and we are not pushing him to do so, he will be remembered for his picture-perfect crosses from the right flank and devastating free kicks which allowed him to rack up 22 goals for Everton in the Premier League.
6. Adam Lallana (36 Years) Southampton
Date of Birth: May 10, 1988
Adam Lallana seems like he has seen it all and done it all. Nevertheless, instead of retiring, he came back to Southampton this year to help the newly promoted Saints stay up in the Premier League. During his illustrious career, he also played for Liverpool and Brighton. While most of the Liverpool fans would rather forget the period when he was there, his four years at Brighton actually helped him revive his career.
He felt rejuvenated under both Graham Potter and later Roberto De Zerbi and featured as a utility midfielder. His immense experience helped to influence and develop young players, especially with the Seagulls which are known for producing young talents. If the Saints by some miracle manage to stay in the Prem, we have a feeling that we will be seeing more from Lallana in the coming years.
5. Johnny Evans (36 Years) Manchester United
Date of Birth: January 3, 1988
Just like that, Johnny Evans became one of the oldest current Premier League players. It seemed that it was only yesterday when Sir Alex Ferguson granted him his debut for the Red Devils, under which he spent nine years. He continued with West Brom and Leicester City, establishing himself as a reliable option at the back.
Last year, when help was needed he came back to Old Trafford and he is still a part of the squad. Johnny is a no-nonsense, old-school defender. The likes that we don’t see anymore these days. Evans may be a dying breed of defenders, but he can still pull his weight and even lock up the back line.
4. Jamie Vardy (37 years old) Leicester City
Date of Birth: January 11, 1987
Jamie Vardy is an absolute legend of the sport who has a bonafide underdog story. In 2011 he was playing for Fleetwood Town in the National League. In 2016 he lifted the Premier League title with Leicester and became the Player of the Season. He was also EPL’s Golden Boot winner during the 2019/20 season when he scored 23 goals.
Jamie is now one of the oldest Premier League players at the age of 37. But he is still Fox’s primary number 9 option. Having spent a year away from the Prem, they are now back in England’s top flight. Jamie has already scored two goals in 7 matches played. How long he decides to play is up to him, but we are definitely sure that he is not going anywhere away from Leicester.
3. James Milner (38 years old) Brighton & Hove Albion
Date of Birth: January 4, 1986
At the age of 38, James Milner is not stopping and has continued playing with Brighton, the club that he has been with during the past season. If he continues to appear regularly for the Seagulls, he just might overtake Gareth Barry at the top of the Premier League’s most appearances list, as he currently ranks second.
Milner has actually made the most appearances as a sub in the league. He has also featured in every season between 2002/03 and the current one. These are numbers and records that we can’t see anyone breaking any time soon. Milner has seen it all and done it all. He started with Leeds but also played with Newcastle, Aston Villa, Man City, and Liverpool. It is fascinating to see that he can still play competitive football and has the versatility to make an impact on the field.
2. Ashley Young (39 Years) Everton
Date of Birth: July 9, 1985
It seems that Everton have a knack for keeping ageing players busy. Featuring on the left flank of Sean Dyche’s defence is the legendary Ashley Young. This is his second season with the Toffees which he joined from Aston Villa. However, fans will mostly remember him during his time at Manchester United, where he spent 9 years and won the Premier League and the Europa League.
While he is getting close to 40, it seems that he is not thinking about retirement. Ashley may have lost a bit of his pace. But it is why he was moved back from an offensive role, which he occupied for the better part of his career, to a defensive one. The position suits him and he just may decide to stay there for a few more years. He might even become the oldest Premier League footballer.
1. Lukasz Fabianski (39 years old) West Ham United
Date of Birth: April 18, 1985
At the number one spot of the oldest players in the Premier League is West Ham’s former number one, Lukasz Fabianski. An experienced and reliable goalkeeper, the Polish international has been with the Hammers since 2018. He also featured for Arsenal and Swansea in the Premier League but has made the most impact in East London.
Fabianski only made 10 Premier League appearances and this one only has one this year. He was moved to the role of backup goalkeeper to Alphonse Areola. But he will still feature in the EFL Cup. Goalkeepers usually have longer careers. It still seems that Lukasz Fabiansk could go for a few more, especially in his current role with West Ham.
