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After Arsenal confirmed the signing of Petr Cech from Chelsea, the goalkeeper joined an illustrious list of players who commanded high transfer fees. Although the £11m fee that was reported is no longer an astronomical amount in football today, it is still a huge amount for a player above the age of 30.
The Czech Republic international is now among the top 10 in the list of players aged 30 or above who commanded the highest transfer fees. He is only one of two goalkeepers who are in this list.
Gabriel Batistuta still tops the list after his move from Serie A club Fiorentina to AS Roma made him the most expensive player above 30. He was 31 years old at the time of his transfer and he helped the capital club win the Scudetto in the 2000/01 season scoring 20 goals in 28 appearances for the Giallorossi.
Samuel Eto’o moved from Inter Milan to money-rich Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala in 2011 which made him the highest paid footballer in the world. Eto’o was 30 years old at the time and the contract of €20 million a season was one he couldn’t refuse. He didn’t last long, though, as club owner Suleiman Kerimov finally decided to reduce the budget two years later and Eto’o soon made a move to Premier League side Chelsea.
Diego Milito’s move to Inter Milan from Genoa paid rich dividends as the Argentine striker helped the club to a treble-winning season in his very first year. It was his brace in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich that secured the treble for Jose Mourinho’s side. He finished his first campaign with 30 goals and 6 assists and also helped the club win the Club World Cup in 2010.
Other players in the list include Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic who helped Paris Saint-Germain to three consecutive Ligue 1 titles. French defender Jeremy Mathieu rounds off the top five and although his move to Barcelona was criticized by the fans, he played a crucial role in their treble-winning 2014/15 campaign.
| # | PLAYER | FROM | TO | FEE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gabriel Batistuta | Fiorentina | Roma | £23m |
| 2 | Samuel Eto'o | Inter Milan | Anzhi | £21m |
| 3 | Diego Milito | Genoa | Inter Milan | £18m |
| 4 | Zlatan Ibrahimovic | AC Milan | PSG | £15m |
| 5 | Jeremy Mathieu | Valencia | Barcelona | £14m |
| 6 | Claude Makelele | Real Madrid | Chelsea | £14m |
| 7 | Angelo Peruzzi | Inter Milan | Lazio | £13m |
| 8 | Fernando Redondo | Real Madrid | AC Milan | £12m |
| 9 | Petr Cech | Chelsea | Arsenal | £11m |
| 10 | Ruud van Nistelrooy | Man Utd | Real Madrid | £10.5m |
