The Most Expensive Goalkeepers Of All Time (Top 10)
The amount of wealth in football in 2024 is incredible. The world's richest clubs are all owned by billionaires, their star players earn hundreds of thousands of pounds each week, and each major European league is signed up to extremely profitable broadcasting deals with TV companies around the world. All that money buzzing around means that the transfer market has become massively inflated in the last few years.
One consequence of this is that big wads of cash are now being shelled out for players who occupy positions on the soccer field that were previously seen as unglamorous. In the past, most of the world's most expensive players were attack-minded superstars who could change a game in the blink of an eye; however, you're now just as likely to see a huge fee paid for a defensive player, whether it's a towering centre-back or a commanding goalkeeper, tasked with guarding their goal against opposition attacks. In this article, we'll be focusing on the latter figures, and working our way through a list of the top 10 most expensive goalkeepers of all time.
The Evolution Of The Goalkeeper In Soccer
The role of the goalkeeper has changed a lot in the last decade or so. Pioneered by modern legends of the game such as Germany and Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer, the role of the sweeper keeper has developed as more goalkeepers demonstrate the value of swiftly running out of their penalty box to sweep up danger and join the defensive line. The proactive nature of the sweeper keeper role can be a huge plus for defenders, who are then able to play a high line and help their team build possession from more advantageous positions, while not worrying about whether the player behind them is coming or going.
More recently, the conversations surrounding keepers and their individual traits and attributes have shifted further; while shot-stopping and physicality used to be the primary skills coaches and clubs would look for in their Number 1, nowadays a keeper's ball control and passing skills are more valued than ever before.
The player between the sticks needs to be able to receive and control the ball while under pressure from opponents, before distributing it accurately to a teammate. In the advent of gegenpressing (aka high counter-pressing), this can play a crucial role in building possession from the back and not giving it straight back to the opposition. It is, however, a risky strategy.
A case in point for the evolution of the goalkeeper role can be seen at Manchester United. A decade ago, David De Gea was widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, famed in particular for his remarkable shot stopping ability. However, fast forward to 2023/24, and the Spaniard was dumped due to his perceived inability to play the ball out from the back. Under a possession-oriented manager like Erik Ten Hag, this was a key weakness, and changes had to be made. Shortly, you'll find out a bit more detail about how the Red Devils chose to counter this problem.
The 10 Most Expensive Goalkeepers Of All Time
Unsurprisingly, the most expensive goalkeepers of all time have made their high-profile moves during the 21st century, when the amount of money swirling around professional football has increased dramatically. Below, you'll find a lot of the most expensive keepers the world has ever seen.
#10. Robert Sanchez - £25m
For many neutrals, it was a surprise to see enigmatic Brighton & Hove Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi drop his Spanish No. 1 Robert Sanchez in Spring 2023, in favour of the less highly-rated shot-stopper Jason Steele. However, opting for Steele (a player whose knack for short distribution and passing from the back made him a preferred choice for De Zerbi's style of play) was an inspired choice.
Chelsea profited from this tactical decision, using Brighton's ousting of Sanchez as an opportunity to recruit a new goalkeeper. Sanchez wasn't cheap though; when he signed for the Blues in the summer of 2023, he came with a £25m price tag, and to date you could argue that he hasn't quite fulfilled it. However, the 26-year-old has international pedigree, Premier League experience and probably a decade of football yet to play, so Chelsea will be hoping his £25m fee may look like a bargain in years to come.
#10. Jordan Pickford - £25m
Tied in 10th place with Sanchez is England's Number 1, Jordan Pickford. The charismatic penalty shootout specialist was signed by Everton for the same fee (£25m) in the summer of 2017, after Pickford's former club Sunderland were relegated from the English top flight. At the time, the transfer made him the most expensive British goalkeeper of all time, a record which hasn't been surpassed since.
And it's fair to say that aside from a couple of dodgy patches of form, he's consistently impressed on Merseyside; at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, Pickford won Everton's Player of the Season award for an incredible third consecutive year.
#8. David Raya - £27m
Mikel Arteta caused controversy last summer when he brought in Brentford's David Raya in a loan deal that saw top-performing goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale lose his spot as Arsenal's Number 1 keeper. However, Raya's outstanding performances throughout the team's ultimately unsuccessful title charge caused most people to accept that it was a clever decision.
Raya won the Premier League Golden Glove award in 2023/24 and Arsenal chose to activate the £27m purchase option that had previously been inserted into Raya's loan contract, pushing the Spaniard into eighth place in the list of football's most expensive goalkeepers.
#7. Jasper Cillessen - £31.4m
Valencia's £31.4m purchase of Dutch goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen in 2019 was a bold move that caused shockwaves across European football. And ultimately, Cillessen was a massive flop. Signed from Barcelona after making just five La Liga appearances, the Netherlands international suffered an injury-riddled time in Valencia, making only 51 league appearances before losing his place and being shifted out to Eredivise side NEC Nijmegen for only €1million, leaving Valencia with a huge loss.
#7. Thibaut Courtois - £31.4m
At Real Madrid, Thibaut Courtois has been a revelation. The Belgian international's Champions League performances — particularly in the 2022 final against Liverpool — have repeatedly made headlines, and since signing in 2018 the towering shot-stopper has helped his team to three La Liga titles, two UCL trophies, and a Copa del Rey. Most people would agree he's justified the £31.4m fee his club paid to Chelsea.
#5. Gianluigi Buffon - £32.6m
What makes this transfer so remarkable is the year in which it happened. When we think about inflated transfer markets, we tend to shift our focus to the last five years or so; but when legendary Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon moved from Parma to Juventus for £32.6m, it was only 2001.
It was a mind-boggling fee that made him the most expensive goalkeeper in history at the time, a record he kept for 16 years. But the money Juve spent (after selling star man Zinedine Zidane) was well worth it; Buffon made over 600 appearances for the club, winning nine Serie A titles, two Champions Leagues, and four Coppa Italias.
#4. Ederson - £34.7m
Goalkeepers have played an important role in Pep Guardiola's evolution of Manchester City since his arrival in 2016. First, he unceremoniously shifted out Joe Hart in favour of Claudio Bravo, a player with a more possession-based approach. When he needed someone above Bravo's level, he opted to shell out over £34m on Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson, whose sweeper keeper credentials, passing ability and jaw-dropping technical skill on the ball has been crucial in City's recent success.
The fee paid for Ederson in 2017 broke Buffon's 16-year reign as the world’s most expensive goalkeeper and has helped lead City to six league titles, two FA Cups, a historic Champions League victory and three consecutive EPL Golden Glove wins.
#3. Andre Onana - £43.8m
Andre Onana joined Manchester United with a huge price tag hanging around his neck, and it's fair to say he hasn't yet fully realised his potential. That being said, there are plenty of issues at the club that are out of its Number 1 goalkeeper's hands, and on numerous occasions in his first season at United, Onana demonstrated serious ability. The Cameroon international was instrumental in helping the Red Devils beat Manchester City in the 2024 FA Cup final, and the recent arrival of renowned goalkeeping coach Jelle ten Rouwelaar should help get the best out of him next campaign.
#2. Alisson Becker - £56m
A couple of eyebrows were raised when Liverpool splashed out £56m on Alisson Becker in 2018, bringing him to Anfield from Serie A side Roma. But the Brazilian has been a revelation, his shot-stopping, ball control skills and sweeping ability allowing Liverpool's famous Van Dijk-led high defensive line to develop fantastically.
If it wasn't for Man City's dominance, Alisson would have won several Premier League titles, but his record of one title, one Champions League, an FA Cup and a Carabao Cup is still extremely impressive. What's more, Liverpool's keeper was the first-ever winner of the Yashin Trophy, awarded to the world's best goalkeeper each season.
#1. Kepa Arrizabalaga - £71.6m
In terms of price, there's a big gap between Alisson Becker and the most expensive goalkeeper in the history of football, Spaniard Kepa Arrizabalaga, who signed for Chelsea in 2018 for a whopping £71.6m. However, there's no doubt that if you asked most football fans who the better player is, most would say Alisson.
Kepa hasn't yet fulfilled his potential, and has struggled to hold down a starting spot on a consistent basis at Chelsea, ultimately being drafted into Real Madrid on loan last year as a temporary replacement for the injured Courtois. This summer, he's been linked with a move back to Madrid, but the Saudi Pro League has also been floated as a potential destination for the 29-year-old. Wherever he goes, it's unlikely the fee will be anywhere near the £71.6m Chelsea paid for him just a few years ago.
Want to find out more about the role of money in football? Check out our article on the biggest sponsorships deals in soccer.