Modric 15th, Vardy 10th & Neuer 7th - Which players have spent the longest at current club?
Loyalty is increasingly uncommon in modern football with players constantly moving clubs for better opportunities and more money. The grass isn’t always greener, however, and some players have rejected financial overtures to remain at clubs and they’ve been rewarded with legendary status. Footballers that remain with one club for their entire careers are a special breed but there’s been some famous examples across recent history.
Paolo Maldini is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders of his generation and the iconic Italian spent his entire career at AC Milan - as did Franco Baresi. Francesco Totti turned down multiple offers to remain at boyhood club Roma, while Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs famously only played for Manchester United. But which current players have spent the longest time in one club’s first-team squad from the top five leagues? We’ve analysed the data to find out - loan moves have been classified as transfers.
Which current players have spent the longest time at one club?
Three current players are tied first after spending 16 years, four months and 13 days at the same club’s first-team. Thomas Müller is arguably the most famous current one club man with the former German international remaining loyal to Bayern Munich. Muller has made 722 appearances for Bayern but there’s speculation that he could leave at the end of the season. Koke has also spent his entire professional career at Atlético Madrid as has Anthony Lopes at Lyon.
Athletic Bilbao are renowned for the policy of only using Basque players and unsurprisingly two of their players feature in the top ten - Óscar de Marcos and Iñigo Lekue. Manuel Neuer is in his 14th season at Bayern Munich after joining them from Schalke while Premier League duo Seamus Coleman and Jamie Vardy are also in the top ten. Luka Modric ranks 15th with the Croatian midfielder still playing at Real Madrid with his 40th birthday arriving in September.
- Date of birth/Age:
- Sep 13, 1989 (35)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Bayern Munich
- Contract until:
- Jun 30, 2025
- Position:
- Second Striker
- Market Value:
- €8.00m
- Date of birth/Age:
- Jan 8, 1992 (32)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Atlético de Madrid
- Contract until:
- Jun 30, 2025
- Position:
- Central Midfield
- Market Value:
- €12.00m
- Date of birth/Age:
- Oct 1, 1990 (34)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Olympique Lyon
- Contract until:
- Jun 30, 2025
- Position:
- Goalkeeper
- Market Value:
- €2.00m
- Date of birth/Age:
- Apr 14, 1989 (35)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Athletic Bilbao
- Contract until:
- Jun 30, 2025
- Position:
- Right-Back
- Market Value:
- €1.50m
- Date of birth/Age:
- May 4, 1993 (31)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Athletic Bilbao
- Contract until:
- Jun 30, 2025
- Position:
- Right-Back
- Market Value:
- €3.00m
- Date of birth/Age:
- Mar 27, 1986 (38)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Bayern Munich
- Contract until:
- Jun 30, 2025
- Position:
- Goalkeeper
- Market Value:
- €4.00m
- Date of birth/Age:
- Oct 11, 1988 (36)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Everton FC
- Contract until:
- Jun 30, 2025
- Position:
- Right-Back
- Market Value:
- €500k
- Date of birth/Age:
- Jan 11, 1987 (37)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Leicester City
- Contract until:
- Jun 30, 2025
- Position:
- Centre-Forward
- Market Value:
- €1.00m
- Date of birth/Age:
- Jun 26, 1968 (56)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Retired
- Contract until:
- -
- Position:
- Left-Back
- Market Value:
- -
- Date of birth/Age:
- May 8, 1960 (64)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Retired
- Contract until:
- -
- Position:
- Sweeper
- Market Value:
- -
- Date of birth/Age:
- Sep 27, 1976 (48)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Retired
- Contract until:
- -
- Position:
- Second Striker
- Market Value:
- -
- Date of birth/Age:
- Nov 16, 1974 (49)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Retired
- Contract until:
- -
- Position:
- Central Midfield
- Market Value:
- -
- Date of birth/Age:
- Nov 29, 1973 (50)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Retired
- Contract until:
- -
- Position:
- Left Midfield
- Market Value:
- -
- Date of birth/Age:
- Sep 9, 1985 (39)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Real Madrid
- Contract until:
- Jun 30, 2025
- Position:
- Central Midfield
- Market Value:
- €6.00m
- Total Market Value:
- €939.70m
- Competition:
- Bundesliga
- Position:
- 1.
- Manager:
- Vincent Kompany
- Squad size:
- 28
- Latest Transfer:
- João Palhinha
- Total Market Value:
- €511.00m
- Competition:
- LaLiga
- Position:
- 3.
- Manager:
- Diego Simeone
- Squad size:
- 25
- Latest Transfer:
- Juan Musso
- Total Market Value:
- €240.30m
- Competition:
- Ligue 1
- Position:
- 5.
- Manager:
- Pierre Sage
- Squad size:
- 29
- Latest Transfer:
- Jordan Veretout
- Total Market Value:
- €338.70m
- Competition:
- LaLiga
- Position:
- 6.
- Manager:
- Ernesto Valverde
- Squad size:
- 26
- Latest Transfer:
- Unai Núñez
- Total Market Value:
- €23.65m
- Competition:
- 2. Bundesliga
- Position:
- 14.
- Manager:
- Kees van Wonderen
- Squad size:
- 36
- Latest Transfer:
- Christopher Antwi-Adjei
- Total Market Value:
- €562.00m
- Competition:
- Serie A
- Position:
- 7.
- Manager:
- Paulo Fonseca
- Squad size:
- 26
- Latest Transfer:
- Tammy Abraham
- Total Market Value:
- €332.50m
- Competition:
- Serie A
- Position:
- 12.
- Squad size:
- 26
- Latest Transfer:
- Mats Hummels
- Total Market Value:
- €854.15m
- Competition:
- Premier League
- Position:
- 13.
- Manager:
- Ruben Amorim
- Squad size:
- 28
- Latest Transfer:
- Manuel Ugarte