The three longest-serving players for every PL club

Daniel Storey

Arsenal

Current longest-serving player
Aaron Ramsey, given that Theo Walcott and Kieran Gibbs have both left in the last 12 months. Ramsey joined from Cardiff City in 2008, and he’s rarely been as important as he is now. Just one year left on that contract.

And who’s next?
Young Jack Wilshere, who’s not so young anymore and might not stay at Arsenal for much longer. Wilshere wasn’t on the released list and so stays under contract for now. Unai Emery reportedly wants him to stay.

Laurent Koscielny is third.

 

Bournemouth

Current longest-serving player
Still Marc Pugh, Barney McGrew. But mainly just Marc Pugh. Bought for £100,000 in League One in 2010, and still somehow played 20 Premier League games last season. Good on him.

And who’s next?
Harry Arter, who could actually leave this summer if reports of West Ham interest turn out to be anything more than dust. Arter was signed for £4,000 from non-league Woking. Gone alright since.

Captain Simon Francis is third.

 

Brighton

Current longest-serving player
It’s Lewis Dunk. He’s been with the club through thick and thin, having signed his first contract in 2010 with Brighton in League One. Gus Poyet is no longer the manager. #PooGate

And who’s next?
Solly March is only 23 and yet is Brighton’s second longest-serving player. A fair effort. So too was playing 36 times in the Premier League last season.

Captain, old man and legend Bruno is third.

 

Burnley

Current longest-serving player
Dean Marney has left – yes, he was still there, folks – which means Kevin Long takes over. If that sounds a little underwhelming, Long joined from Cork City in 2010 and has been loaned out to Accrington Stanley, Rochdale, Portsmouth, Barnsley and MK Dons. Started 16 Premier League games last season, which you had missed.

And who’s next?
Ben Mee, shape me, any way you want me takes over. Still only 28, but arrived at Turf Moor back in 2011.

Sam Vokes is third.

 

Cardiff City

Current longest-serving player
Aron Gunnarsson, who joined from Coventry City in 2011 and is one of Iceland’s key players at this summer’s World Cup. Now 29, he has played 258 times in a Cardiff shirt.

And who’s next?
Joe Ralls, who joined Cardiff’s academy from Aldershot as a wee slip of a lad and is still just 24. Ralls started 37 of Cardiff’s 46 league games last season.

Kadeem Harris is third.

 

Chelsea

Current longest-serving player
Matej Delac may have joined John Terry in giving away his crown, but Tomas Kalas is the rightful heir to the throne. He has played two league games for Chelsea, which is two more than Delac managed. Keep those fingers crossed.

And who’s next?
We’re not counting Thibaut Courtois because of that three-year loan to Atletico Madrid. So it’s Eden Hazard, which feels very weird indeed. Isn’t he the rat that always wants to jump the sinking ship?

Lucas Piazon is third. He’s made one league appearance for Chelsea.

 

Crystal Palace

Current longest-serving player
Julian Speroni, who was not on the released list but we cannot quite believe is going to sign another new contract. He was the longest-serving player in the entire league until Wolves got themselves bloody promoted.

And who’s next?
Jonny Williams is still a Crystal Palace player, which is several shades of wonderful. He got relegated to League One with Sunderland last season, and failed to make an impact.

 

Everton

Current longest-serving player
It’s Phil ‘One Jag’ Jagielka, who was signed from Sheffield United in 2007. Buggering heck that makes me feel old.

And who’s next?
It’s Leighton Baines, who joined in the very same summer as Jagielka. Eleven years is a long time, guys. Could both be replaced this summer?

Seamus Coleman is third. Nothing changes at Everton.

 

Fulham

Current longest-serving player
Marcus Bettinelli, the goalkeeper who joined Fulham as a 19-year-old and finally broke into the first team after loans to Dartford and Accrington Stanley. He also has a solitary England Under-21 cap, don’t you know.

And who’s next?
Cauley Woodrow, who came through with Patrick Roberts as a Next Big Thing but hasn’t quite kicked on. Scored two Championship goals on loan at Bristol City last season.

Tom Cairney is third.

 

Huddersfield Town

Current longest-serving player
Sean Scannell, who isn’t really good enough but joined from Crystal Palace in 2012. Was loaned out to Burton Albion last season as they were relegated to League One.

And who’s next?
Tommy Smith, who joined three months later than Scannell from Manchester City’s academy. He did play in the Premier League last season, at least.

Jonathan Hogg is third. He only joined in 2013.

 

Leicester City

Current longest-serving player
Andy King, although he spent much of last season at Swansea City as they were relegated to the Championship. Can’t see a place for him at Leicester, so expect him to vacate top spot this summer.

And who’s next?
Kasper the friendly goalkeeper, who joined from Leeds in 2011.

Wes Morgan is third.

 

Liverpool

Current longest-serving player
Jon Flanagan was, but he has been released after failing to kick on, never mind some unpleasant off-field behaviour. That leaves Jordan Henderson, captain and longest-server (who almost joined Fulham that one time).

And who’s next?
Danny Ward, who you would be forgiven for completely forgetting about and who must want a move away from Anfield. He’s third choice behind two goalkeepers who aren’t good enough.

Daniel Sturridge is third, and suddenly we feel very sad.

 

Manchester City

Current longest-serving player
It’s Hartdog, although surely for not much longer. Two season-long loan spells haven’t brought Hart back to anywhere near his best, so he’ll hope a permanent move does. All looks a bit doomed.

And who’s next?
Vincent Kompany, and the captain might take top spot this summer. But is his own place even secure, given the injury problems?

Third absolutely isn’t Yaya Toure anymore. It’s the lovely David Silva instead.

 

Manchester United

Current longest-serving player
Antonio Valencia, who takes over from Michael Carrick following his retirement. Solid, dependable and likeable pro for solid, dependable and likeable pro.

And who’s next?
Chris Smalling, and it says something that each of Manchester United’s top three are still very much part of their first-team plans. Not sure what, but doesn’t feel complimentary.

Ashley Young is third.

 

Newcastle United

Current longest-serving player
It’s lovely Paul Dummett, who was forced to wade through a fair amount of stick and has come through the other side. Doubt the natural talent if you like, but you can’t fault the application or effort.

And who’s next?
Rob Elliot, who is either second or third-choice goalkeeper after the permanent signing of Martin Dubravka. They also have Karl Darlow and Freddie Woodman. Options aplenty.

Adam Armstrong is third and he’s only 21. Which is a bit mad.

 

Southampton

Current longest-serving player
James Ward-Prowse, at the ripe old age of 23. He made his first-team debut in 2011 and is still being touted as a player with bags of potential. We need to actually see it realised soon.

And who’s next?
Ward-Prowse’s central midfield partner Steve Davis, forever reliable and Southampton’s captain. He joined from Rangers in 2012, and is now 33.

Maya Yoshida is third. No case of the ex there.

 

Tottenham

Current longest-serving player
Danny Rose, who we desperately hope stays at Tottenham this summer and gets himself on the steady. On form, he’s one of the best full-backs in Europe.

And who’s next?
Harry Kane, who feels as if he has been on the scene for five minutes but it’s just our brains tricking us into thinking we’re not getting older.

Jan Vertonghen is third.

 

Watford

Current longest-serving player
Troy Deeney, by an absolute country mile of the actual first-teamers. He joined Watford in 2010, and they’ve signed approximately 427 players since then.

And who’s next?
I’ll say what I said last year: It’s big Tommie Hoban, who I don’t think I’d recognise if he walked past me in the street wearing an ‘I’m Tommie Hoban and I play for Watford FC’ badge.

Heurelho Gomes is still there, and still third.

 

West Ham

Current longest-serving player
Mark Noble, who bleeds red if you cut him, a mixture of claret and blue combined. Still, at least he bloody cares when you suspect plenty around him don’t.

And who’s next?
Winston Reid, who has suffered some rotten luck with injuries over the last few years. Still only 29, Reid joined West Ham from FC Midtjylland in 2010. That’s a bloody long time ago.

James Collins has gone, so Andy bloody Carroll is third. Scenes.

 

Wolves

Current longest-serving player
Carl Ikeme is the longest-serving player in the Premier League, having joined Wolves’ first-team squad aa a 17-year-old in 2003. He’s currently away from the game to concentrate on his recovery from leukaemia, and my goodness we wish him all the very best.

And who’s next?
Captain and central defender Danny Batth. The notion that Wolves’ promotion bid was solely achieved via their swanky new signings in undermined when you look at the progress in players such as Batth.

Ethan Ebanks-Landell is third.

Daniel Storey