CHELSEA stunned the footballing world by announcing Petr Cech in their 25-man Premier League squad for 2020-21… but he’s actually YOUNGER than Willy Caballero.
The Blues have had a real problem in their goalkeeping ranks in the past season or two.
Kepa Arrizabalaga – the most-expensive stopper on the planet at £71.6million – has been in abysmal form and looks set to be axed.
Willy Caballero was his understudy last season – but now Frank Lampard has a new No1 in Edouard Mendy.
Despite that, fearful Frank opted to name Chelsea’s technical director Cech in his 25-man group for this season.
Cech played 494 times for Chelsea between 2004 and 2015 – winning four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, the Champions League and Europa League.
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Since leaving Stamford Bridge, Cech has turned out for Arsenal – and even enjoyed a stint as an ice hockey player for Guildford Phoenix.
But now he has a genuine chance of playing football again.
At the age of 38, the announcement shocked many fans.
Yet, incredibly, the 124-cap Czech Republic legend is actually YOUNGER than new Chelsea team-mate Caballero.
At 39 years old, Caballero – who played in the 3-3 draw with West Brom last month – is the oldest player in the Premier League – with Cech eight months younger.
That means Chelsea have the two oldest players in the top-flight on their books.
And as famous as Lampard has become for his youthful revolution, he has a THIRD player in the top six.
Thiago Silva is the sixth-oldest footballer in the Premier League at a shade over 36 years old.
Veteran defenders Phil Jagielka (Sheff Utd) and Wes Morgan (Leicester) come in third and fourth respectively at 38 years old.
Former Everton defender Jagielka is the oldest outfield player in the Premier League – but is yet to play this season, with just one Carabao Cup game under his belt.
Morgan, meanwhile, is the oldest outfield player to feature in the top-flight this season.
Ex-Chelsea star Branislav Ivanovic – now at West Brom – is fifth, aged 36.
From there, there are a hatful of players aged 35 – with Pablo Hernandez (Leeds), Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham), Fernandinho (Man City) and Phil Bardsley (Burnley) completing the top ten.
