Issue number 457 of the CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post ranks almost 800 clubs from 48 leagues around the world according to the average age of recruitment of the first team players signed over the last ten transfer windows (July 2019 to date).

The lowest value overall was recorded for the Austrians of RB Salzburg (20.93 years), while the highest was measured for the Qatari side Al-Gharafa SC (30.27 years).

Another member of the Red Bull galaxy, RB Bragantino, ranks second (21.72 years).

The Basques of Athletic Club (21.90) complete the podium with nevertheless few recruitments, most of their players coming directly from the youth academy.

Also in the top ten are Slovenia’s NK Bravo, two Ukrainian clubs (Shakhtar Donetsk and Dynamo Kyiv), two Belgians (Genk and Club Brugge), one Swede (Elfsborg) and one Slovakian (Ružomberok).

The Post also presents the average age of players signed during the penultimate five-year period (July 2014 to June 2019), which makes it possible to measure trends.

Among the clubs having the most rejuvenated their recruitment, the top three are Athletic Club (-4.11 years), RB Bragantino (-4.07) and Brighton & Hove (-3.36).

At the other end of the scale, the teams that have opted for more experienced signings notably include Fluminense (+2.95 years), Olympique Lyonnais (+2.39) and Inter (+2.32).

>>> Data for 777 clubs

About the CIES Football Observatory

The CIES Football Observatory is a research group created in 2005 within the Swiss-based Centre International d’Étude du Sport (CIES). It specialises in the statistical analysis of football, in particular in the areas of demographics, transfer values and performance.

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About the CIES

The International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) is an independent study centre located in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. It was created in 1995 as a joint venture between the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the University of Neuchâtel, the City and State of Neuchatel.

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