The 10 most expensive over-30-year-old signings: a wise decision or failed transfer

Turning 30 typically marks a player's descent down the slope of their career. However, there are instances where players are transferred to other clubs for a hefty fee due to their ability to maintain impressive form.

1. Jasper Cillessen | Valencia (35 million euros)

Barcelona purchased Cillesen in 2016 to serve as a backup for Ter Stegen. Despite spending three seasons at the Nou Camp, the Dutch goalkeeper only played 32 matches. Nevertheless, in 2019, Barcelona managed to make a substantial profit by selling him to Valencia, even though Cillessen had just turned 30.

Since joining Valencia, Cillessen was the first-choice goalkeeper for the club and has made 57 appearances. Cillessen's career after joining Valencia has been solid, and he has continued to be a key player for both club and country. He has also been praised for his skills as a shot-stopper and his ability to distribute the ball effectively from the back.

Jasper Cillessen

2. Gabriel Batistuta | AS Roma (36.15 million euros)

Gabriel Batistuta

Following almost a decade of loyalty to Fiorentina, Gabriel Batistuta chose to depart and join AS Roma at the age of 31. Roma's decision to sign Batistuta proved to be wise, as he scored 20 goals in Serie A that season, ultimately helping the Italian capital team secure the Scudetto.

3. Radja Nainggolan | Inter Milan (38 million euros)

Radja Nainggolan

At the age of 30, Nainggolan departed from Roma to join Inter in 2018. Prior to that, he had established a noteworthy career with the Italian capital team.

Nevertheless, Nainggolan struggled to maintain his form at Inter and quickly lost his place in the squad. Nainggolan joined Inter Milan in June 2018 in a deal that saw him move from Roma for a reported fee of €38 million. However, his time at Inter Milan was somewhat disappointing, as he struggled to establish himself as a regular starter for the club. In January 2019, he was briefly suspended by the club for disciplinary reasons, and in August 2019, he was loaned out to Cagliari for the 2019–20 season.

After returning to Inter Milan at the end of his loan spell, Nainggolan was once again deemed surplus to requirements. On August 10, 2021, it was announced by Inter Milan that they had come to a mutual agreement to terminate Radja Nainggolan's contract with the club. Just four days later, the 33-year-old Belgian midfielder signed a two-year contract with Antwerp.

4. Kalidou Koulibaly | Chelsea (38 million euros)

Kalidou Koulibaly

At the age of 31, Koulibaly signed with Chelsea. Despite his age, the Stamford Bridge team has historically shown a preference for more experienced players and had sufficient reason to place their trust in the former Napoli defender.

5. Leonardo Bonucci | AC Milan (42 million euros)

Leonardo Bonucci

In July 2017, the seasoned midfielder left Juventus and unexpectedly signed a five-year contract with AC Milan at the age of 30. Reports suggested that the reason for his departure was conflict with coach Max Allegri. During this time, Bonucci was considered one of the best defenders in the world.

However, his tenure at AC Milan did not go smoothly in the first half of the season, and he struggled to find his form. In his sole year with the Milan team, Bonucci played 51 matches and scored two goals. He eventually returned to Juventus.

6. Paulinho | Guangzhou Evergrande (42 million euros)

Paulinho

There were doubts regarding the success of Paulinho's transfer from Guangzhou Hang Dai to Barca, but the Brazilian player made a promising start to his career at Camp Nou. However, after just one year, Paulinho returned to Guangzhou and was subsequently sold to the Chinese team for a significant fee. He was 30 years old at the time.

7. Robert Lewandowski | Barcelona (45 million euros)

Robert Lewandowski

As contract renewal negotiations with Lewandowski reached an impasse, Bayern Munich was compelled to sell him to Barcelona in the summer of 2022 to prevent losing him.

Despite being over 30 years old, the Polish striker is regarded as a valuable signing due to his consistently impressive goal-scoring record in recent years.

8. Miralem Pjanic | Barcelona (60 million euros)

Miralem Pjanic

The Pjanic deal was one of the most perplexing transfers for Barcelona in recent years. While the Bosnian midfielder was regarded as one of the best in Serie A at the time, he was already 30 years old. Many fans felt that the transfer fee for this deal was excessive, given his age.

Pjanic played only one season for Barca, appearing in 30 matches but failing to score a single goal. In the 2021/22 season, he was loaned out to Besiktas.

9. Casemiro | Manchester United (70,65 million euros)

Casemiro

Prior to his departure from Manchester United, Casemiro was a key player for Real Madrid and had won numerous titles during his time with the club. He, alongside Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, formed one of the best midfield trios in the world.

Therefore, Casemiro's initial desire to leave Real Madrid came as a surprise to many. However, the deal ultimately benefited all parties involved, as MU needed a quality midfielder, Casemiro received a higher salary, and Real Madrid made a significant profit from selling a midfielder over 30 years old.

Casemiro's value was quickly confirmed at Old Trafford as he strengthened MU's midfield. He even scored one of the two goals in the 2022–23 League Cup final against Newcastle, helping his team secure their first title in many years.

10. Cristiano Ronaldo | Juventus (117 million euros)

Cristiano Ronaldo

After winning the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2017/18, Ronaldo was signed by Juventus for a record fee. Despite being 33 years old at the time, the Portuguese superstar's impressive performances remained consistent. Juventus recruited CR7 with the goal of achieving their Champions League dream.

During his time in Italy, Ronaldo scored 101 goals and won five trophies, but he was unable to lead Juventus deep into the continental arena. By the 2021/22 season, he had returned to his former team, Manchester United.