Listing The 10 Most Expensive Goalkeeper Transfers of All-Time
Goalkeepers are a different breed; not everyone would have the innate skill-set to be one.. Football clubs in general tend to have two to three goalkeeping options in their squad, but they never look to spend big, at least not as much as they do on outfield players.
However, in some cases over the years, clubs have been desperate to add goalkeepers to their squad, but like outfield players, the cost of signing a world class goalkeeper has gone up by leaps and bounds too. So, who are the most expensive goalkeepers in the world in terms of their transfer cost and which club do they play for? Let’s take a look!
Most Expensive Goalkeeper Transfers
10. Jordan Pickford – €28.5 million
When Sunderland got relegated, Jordan Pickford was signed up by Everton in 2017 and he became the most expensive English keeper in history. Many believed that it was ridiculous to sign him for such a big fee, but he has gone on to become England’s #1 and has repeatedly shown why the Toffees paid the fee.
9. Manuel Neuer – €30 million
Manuel Neuer is now regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in history and Bayern Munich were quick to spot his talent. However, Schalke also knew that they had a generational goalkeeping talent in their squad and got a German record fee when they agreed to sell him. Neuer has remained as the Bundesliga side’s #1 since moving to Bavaria and is still the #1 for the German national team too.
As of 2024, Neuer has stated that he has no plans to retire just yet and is still feeling on top of his game. He will be entering his 14th season with Bayern Munich and has been their #1 every time he is fit.
8. David Raya – €32 million
A newcomer on the Top 10 list this summer is David Raya after he completed his permanent move to Arsenal. The Spaniard joined on loan last summer and has virtually replaced Aaron Ramsdale as the #1 at the Emirates. He won the Golden Glove last season in the Premier League and that saw Mikel Arteta get the loan deal turned into a permanent one as they saw him as an upgrade on Ramsdale.
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7. Thibaut Courtois – €35 million
Thibaut Courtois was once one of the best goalkeepers in the world during his time at Stamford Bridge, but he went AWOL from Chelsea training as he was pushing for a move away to Real Madrid. The Belgian still fetched the Blues a whopping €35 million. He has proved to be worth the money at Real Madrid, while Chelsea have suffered with goalkeeping conundrums ever since he left.
6. Jasper Cillessen – €35 million
The biggest surprise in this particular top 10 list has to be Jasper Cillessen. The goalkeeper moved to Valencia from Barcelona in 2019 for a stunning €35 million despite playing just 5 league games for them in La Liga. However, the move did not do him much favors as he had injury issues and then got replaced by Giorgi Mamardashvili in the 2021/22 season.
He returned back to his home country the Netherlands in 2022, where he featured for NEC Nijmegen in the Eredivisie for two years. And this year, on June 19, 2024, Cillessen returned to Spain’s top tier after signing a two-year deal with Las Palmas.
5. Ederson – €40 million
Pep Guardiola knows how to get the best out of his players, but Ederson is one who hasn’t declined ever since reaching his peak at FC Porto. The Catalan manager knew the kind of goalkeeper he was signing and that he would be perfect for his tactical setup at Manchester City. For instance, Ederson’s passing range is as good as any decent midfielder in the Premier League.
The Brazilian became the most expensive goalkeeper in Premier League history in 2017, a title he held for two years. He has been key in Manchester City’s dominance of the league but could be on his way out soon.
4. André Onana – €52.5 million
André Onana broke into the top 10 of this list last summer when Manchester United decided to pay a stunning €52.5 million to sign him from Inter Milan. The goalkeeper was brought in to replace David de Gea, who left the club following the expiry of his contract.
The former Ajax star did not have a good start to his career at Old Trafford, but his first season ended on a high. Manchester United won the FA Cup after finishing just 8th in the Premier League.
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3. Gianluigi Buffon – €52.88 million
Juventus were stacked with cash after selling Zinedine Zidane to Real Madrid, and they spent a huge chunk of it to sign Buffon. The Italian became the world’s most expensive goalkeeper at that time and given how his career went, it can never be seen as a bad move. Buffon went on to make 656 appearances for the Bianconeri, winning 9 Serie A titles and also one Serie B title.
He left the club after 17 years on a free transfer to join PSG. However, he returned a season later and was with the Turin side for another two seasons. The Italian goalkeeper joined his boyhood side Parma in 2021 before calling it quits in 2023 at the age of 45.
2. Alisson – €62.5 million
Alisson became the world’s most expensive goalkeeper in the world when Liverpool decided that they could not undergo another season with Loris Karius in goal. They lost the UEFA Champions League title because of the goalkeeper’s mistakes and that saw them make a record move for Alisson.
The Brazilian has shown that he was worth the money, as Liverpool beat Chelsea to the signing. He has won the Champions League, Premier League, the FA Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup with the Anfield side.
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1. Kepa Arrizabalaga – €80 million
After Thibaut Courtois forced a move to Real Madrid and Chelsea missed out on Alisson, they made the move for Kepa Arrizabalaga. Athletic Bilbao asked for the €80 million release clause to be activated and with time running out in pre-season, the Blues went for it. The Spaniard has been hot and cold at the club and is now set to be shipped. He won them the Europa League in his first season, but has been subpar since.
Al-Ittihad and Real Madrid remain interested in signing Kepa this summer. The Spaniard is not in Chelsea’s plans for the season and has been left behind from the squad that traveled to the United States for pre-season matches.
FAQs
Q: Who is the most expensive goalkeeper transfer in history?
A. Kepa Arrizabalaga remains the most expensive goalkeeper in the world.
Q: Which goalkeeper has the highest market value?
A. Giorgi Mamardashvili has seen his market value shoot up after his impressive performances at Euro 2024. As per Transfermarkt, he is valued at €45 million, the same as Diogo Costa.