Not since Alessandro Del Piero graced Australian shores two seasons ago has the A-League boasted a world class marquee name among its ranks. The smattering of lower league foreigners and returning expats that have been signed under the auspices of a 'marquee', have generally had more of a 'two-man tent' feel about them. Until now. 

Amid the madness that is the last-placed Central Coast Mariners' odd season came the shock news last week it has signed 37 year-old retired Liverpool player luis Garcia on a short-term deal. 

According to the Daily Telegraph, an ex-Liverpool physio at the A-League club got in touch with Garcia, who formally retired from football after a stint at Altletico Kolkata in 2014, via some old Reds connections, after the 37 year-old appeared during the recent Liverpool legends versus Legendroos match in Sydney.

Amid the surprise that the Mariners had managed to secure the Spaniard's services, was a palpable excitement that fans will get the opportunity to see another Liverpool legend - Robbie Fowler enjoyed stints at Perth Glory and North Queensland Fury - playing in Australia. 

Garcia, like Brisbane Roar's Corona, may yet add to the notion that mid-to-late 30s is not too old to cut it at the top level of the game, let alone the top level of Australia's game. So we at beIN SPORTS have scoured the globe and found nine more 37 year-olds, most of whom are still playing at the top level, who could still light up the A-League.

9 Adrian Mutu

The controversial ex-Chelsea striker has had more clubs than Tiger Woods, but he still cuts it at the top level, inking a deal with Romanian Liga 1 club ASA Targu Mures this year. A lethal finisher with the ability to play in the midfield, Mutu's talent made him one of the most highly-regarded strikers in Italy's Serie A, where he spent the majority of his career across six clubs. It's his off-field baggage that would present a risk for any A-League suitor. Recreational drugs bans, a highly-publicised liaison with a porn star, fallings out with Jose Mourinho and Claudio Ranieri and a playboy lifestyle have often lent Mutu a 'what could have been' quality. While he would be a risky investment, Melbourne Victory's combustible striker Besart Berisha has shown the value of a colourful marquee striker, who can do the business in front of goal.   

8 Lucio

Yep, the Brazilian is still playing. At least he was as recently as last year, for Goa in the Indian Super League. A veteran of more than 100 matches for the Selecao, the ex-Internazionale and Bayern Munich defender would be the ideal candidate to sure up a leaky A-League backline. He likes to dribble the ball, prefers playing out from the back and has experience marshalling some of the world's best defenders.  

7 Joan Capdevila

Capdevila is another defender with recent experience at the top level. Last year it was in the form of four matches for Belgian Pro League club Lierse. Adept at holding the ball and playing short passes, Capdevila espouses the tiki taka style that captured the world's imagination as Spain waltzed to the 2008 European Championship and 2010 World Cup title. With a growing number of Spaniards influencing the A-League, Capdevila would be in familiar company and equally at home anchoring a team's midfield.    

6 Ricardo Carvalho

The last of the defenders in our list, Carvalho's resume boasts trophy-laden stints at three of the world's biggest clubs: Porto, Chelsea and Real Madrid, as well as 83 matches for Portugal. He still commands a starting place at Ligue 1 club Monaco, where he has played since 2013. 

5 Claudio Pizarro

The ever-green Peruvian striker is back at Werder Bremen for the third time in his career, having most recently worked under Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich last season. While, for the first time in his club career, Pizarro struggled to find the net in his final season at Bayern, he passed a medical and signed on at Bremen, where he quickly set about doing what he does best:

Potential A-League suitors would do well to note Pizarro's love of racing - he co-owns a racehorse with Joey Barton - as a possible lure for a stint down under. 

4 Miroslav Klose

Last season Klose broke all sorts of records on the way to becoming a world Cup-winner with Germany. The lanky striker became the first player to reach four consecutive World Cup semi-finals, broke Ronaldo's record for World Cup goals - with 16  - and broke Gerd Muller's record of 68 to become Germany's all-time leading scorer. Put simply, the man knows how to find the back of the net, especially via his head. Klose has fallen on more lean times this season at Lazio, having failed to find the net in 10 appearances. He could be ripe for a move down under, where fellow Germans Thomas Broich and Jerome Polenz have thrived.

3 Frank Lampard

A dynamic, modern midfielder with an eye for goal in his prime, former England captain and Chelsea legend Lampard has struggled to make his mark on the MLS since joining New York City from its sister club Manchester City last year. By Lampard's own admission, injuries hampered his arrival in the big apple, but fully fit, he still has the class to command the middle of the pitch. What better way for him to stay fit during the MLS off-season than via a stint at another of the City Group's clubs, Melbourne City? The city Group dabbled with the idea when it sent David Villa to Melbourne on loan and Australian fans would love to see the spaniard's newest high-profile team-mate here next.  

2 Didier Drogba

Another ex-Chelsea star, Drogba went to Montreal last year and did exactly what a marquee striker is meant to: made an impact.

The larger-than-life Ivorian is a hulking presence up front, marauding the forward line just ready to pounce on a loose ball. A popular figure in the dressing room, Drogba's finishing and ability to hold off defenders is second-to-none while his knack for inspiring his team-mates has had him linked with a return to Chelsea in a managerial capacity. Hugely popular with fans, Drogba would represent a safe investment for any club requiring an injection of potency up front. 

1 Gianluigi Buffon

The legendary Juventus goal-keeper is well and truly in the Del Piero class when it comes to potential marquees, not least because the two were Juventus and Italy team-mates for the majority of their glittering careers. Could Buffon join 'ADP' in counting an A-League team among his former clubs? It may not happen while he's 37, Buffon has started in all 19 of Juventus's league matches this season and sits fourth in Serie A with clean sheets (8), boasting a save percentage above 75 per cent. Widely considered one of the best players to squeeze his hands into a goal-keeping glove, Buffon's signature would be a major coup for any A-League club.