After almost doubling the transfer record, Alisson Becker was the world’s most expensive goalkeeper for less than a month. Here are the top 10 transfer fees paid for a No. 1 in history.
1. Kepa Arrizabalaga, Athletic Bilbao to Chelsea in 2018, £71m
Kepa has only spent two seasons in Bilbao’s first team, making 53 La Liga appearances, and has only one Spain cap to his name but after Chelsea sold Thibaut Courtois they needed a replacement. Kepa’s €80m buyout clause was paid in full and made him the world’s most expensive keeper.
2. Alisson Becker, AS Roma to Liverpool in 2018, £65m
The Brazilian No. 1 was good enough to keep Ederson out of the national side at World Cup, but he enjoyed a quick rise at Roma — only playing for their first-team for two years. After Loris Karius’ mistakes in the Champions League final last season, Liverpool needed a solid stopper and paid a then-world record to bring in Alisson. But it didn’t last long.
3. Thibaut Courtois, Chelsea to Real Madrid in 2018, £35m
After an impressive World Cup with Belgium, and with his contract entering its final year, Courtois signed for Madrid — a place he had made it quite clear he wanted to move to, to be closer to his family. It would have been a world-record move in June … but not after the two above had been transferred.
4. Ederson Moraes, Benfica to Manchester City in 2017, £34.7m
The Brazilian became the most expensive goalkeeper in the world when he moved to the Premier League last summer — though Gianluigi Buffon’s transfer was more in euros at the time, it is less in pounds. Ederson’s kicking gave City a new dimension and led them to the Premier League title, while he also claimed a Guiness World Record too.
5. Gianluigi Buffon, Parma to Juventus in 2001, £32.6m
The Italian was considered an expensive upgrade on the great Edwin van der Sar when, aged 23, he left Parma. But, 16 years later, he remains an authoritative, consistent presence. In an era when there has been significant competition from Iker Casillas, Petr Cech and others, Buffon will likely be remembered as the greatest goalkeeper of his time. Now at PSG, he could add a Champions League medal to the numerous domestic honours and World Cup has has so far won — having remained loyal to Juve when they were relegated in 2006 amid the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal.
6. Jordan Pickford, Sunderland to Everton in 2017, £25m
Pickford has been tipped for the top since making his debut at Sunderland as a youth. Now 24, he made the step up to the first team in 2016 and was sold for a club-record fee 12 months later when Sunderland were relegated from the Premier League. Everton did not impress in the Premier League but Pickford did and earned himself a No. 1 spot for England his summer where he shone.
7. Francesco Toldo, Fiorentina to Inter Milan in 2001, £23.85m
Toldo’s career started slowly but he made an impression at Fiorentina and that was enough to land the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year in 2000 for his performances. Facing bankruptcy, Fiorentina sold him to Parma but he refused to join and went to Inter instead. He would have played a lot more for his country (28 caps) if it had not been for a certain Mr. Buffon.
8. Bernd Leno, Bayer Leverkusen to Arsenal in 2018, £19.3m
Leno has flown under the radar with his sold career at Leverkusen. He made more than 230 appearances for the Bundesliga side but only won six caps for Germany before his move but was not included in their World Cup squad. Incredibly, his deal cost more than Neuer’s back in 2011.
9. Manuel Neuer, Schalke to Bayern Munich in 2011, £19m
If Buffon was the greatest goalkeeper of his generation, Germany’s 31-year-old Neuer is arguably the greatest of this. At a time when admiration for so-called “sweeper-keepers” has significantly grown, he is also considered the finest example of a composed goalkeeper capable of playing the ball. Neuer’s form has been so exceptional he has won six straight Bundesliga titles and also won the Champions League a year before helping Germany to victory at the 2014 World Cup.
10. David De Gea, Atletico Madrid to Manchester United in 2011, £18.9m
The then 20-year-old was considered Europe’s most promising goalkeeper when he joined United to succeed the retired Van der Sar. After struggling early on at United, where so many competent goalkeepers have under-performed, he began to demonstrate why. They have since won the Premier League title, FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League, while De Gea has replaced Iker Casillas with Spain.
Information from the Press Association was used in this report.
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