Top Five Most Expensive Goalkeepers In The World
Football doesn’t only revolve around goals being scored by the strikers, midfielders or defenders. Football revolves around all players including the goalkeepers that stay at the goal post to prevent opponents from finding the back of the net. A good defence is, most times, led by a good goalkeeper who understands the game of football. In the article, we will be listing the five most expensive goalkeepers of all time.
Just like the famous strikers, midfielders, and defenders, goalkeepers are just as important as every other position on the football pitch. A good goalkeeper can save a team from relegating as well as make crucial saves that can help teams clinch titles. A great example can be seen in the outstanding performance dropped by Thibaut Courtois in the UEFA Champions League final when Real Madrid defeated Liverpool in a 1-0 victory in Paris. Courtois played a crucial role in ensuring Liverpool was unable to score a single goal throughout the game despite having 24 shots with nine hitting the target.
Goalkeepers have always played an integral role in ensuring the success of football teams across the world, and with each passing football season, the demand for goalkeepers continues to rise. Over the last two decades, the price of goalkeepers has risen tremendously. Now, we will be looking at the most expensive goalkeepers in the world right now and their price tags.
5. Gianluigi Buffon – £32.6m (Parma to Juventus) 
Buffon is highly regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, as the Italian goalie was amazingly consistent throughout his goalkeeping career ever since he made that record-breaking move from Parma to Juventus in 2001 for £32.6m. That move made him the then-most expensive goalkeeper that year, and he was 23 years of age at the time.
Buffon played for Juventus for 18 years and won several trophies along the way. Despite not being able to clinch a Champions League trophy during his career, Gianluigi Buffon still remains one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time.
4. Ederson Moraes – £34.7m (From Benfica to Manchester City) 
Brazilian Ederson Moraes is the fourth most expensive goalkeeper of all time. He entered this ranking after making a move from Portuguese club Benfica to Manchester City for £34.7m. His arrival at the Etihad Stadium was after the English club parted ways with Joe Hart in 2017.
Five years after, Ederson was able to establish himself in the Premier League. He has managed to keep 91 clean sheets in 182 appearances for Manchester City, winning four League titles as well as three Golden Gloves.
3. Thibaut Courtois – £35m (From Chelsea to Real Madrid) 
Belgian Thibaut Courtois was regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League during his career with Chelsea. In 2018, Real Madrid paid £35 million to Chelsea to move the Belgian goalkeeper to Santiago Bernabeu. That move made Courtois the third most expensive goalkeeper of all time.
Courtois played a pivotal role for the Real Madrid team as they went on to win two La Liga titles, two Supercopa de Espana, one FIFA Club World Cup and one UEFA Champions League title. His goalkeeping skills were one of the many reasons Madrid won the Champions League title in Paris.
2. Alisson Becker – £65m (AS Roma to Liverpool) 
After making an amazing breakthrough in his goalkeeper career at Serie A side AS Roma, Alisson Becker made a record-breaking move to Liverpool for £65 million. A number which seemed to be too high for a goalkeeper at the time.
This move from Liverpool could be said to be a desperate one after losing and suffering a defeat in the 2017 Champions League final against Real Madrid. In his first season with the club, he helped them clinch the Champions League title and followed up with a Premier League title the following season. He has been able to keep 64 clean sheets in 136 league appearances for Liverpool, winning one league title and two golden gloves.
1. Kepa Arrizabalaga – £71m (Athletic Bilbao to Chelsea) 
Just when everyone thought the price of goalkeepers couldn’t climb past the £ 65m mark, Chelsea paid £71m to Athletico Bilbao for the transfer fee of Kepa Arrizabalaga in 2018. The same year Alisson Becker moved to Liverpool. Currently, Kepa Arrizabalaga is the most expensive goalkeeper in the world.
Chelsea was in desperate need of a goalkeeper after selling off Thibaut Courtois to Real Madrid in 2018. This can also be considered a rushed move from Chelsea. While he is the most expensive goalkeeper in the world currently, he is not the best out there. But Kepa Arizabalaga is the most expensive goalkeeper in the world right now.
Will the transfer record for goalkeepers be broken this summer transfer window? This article will be updated if it happens.
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