Liverpool have agreed a fee of almost £67 million for AS Roma and Brazil goalkeeper Alisson Becker. Here, we assess the world’s previous six most expensive goalkeepers.
1. Ederson Moraes, Benfica to Manchester City in 2017, £34.7m
Ederson Moraes impressed in his first season.
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.
2. Gianluigi Buffon, Parma to Juventus in 2001, £32.6m
Buffon left Juventus for PSG this summer on a free.
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.
3. Jordan Pickford, Sunderland to Everton in 2017, £25m
Pickford had a great World Cup with England.
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.
4. Bernd Leno, Bayer Leverkusen to Arsenal in 2018, £19.3m
Leno’s idol is former Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann.
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.
5. Manuel Neuer, Schalke to Bayern Munich in 2011, £19m
Neuer is considered the best goalkeeper in the world.
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.
6. David De Gea, Atletico Madrid to Manchester United in 2011, £18.9m
De Gea has been linked with a move to Real Madrid.
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 in his first 18 months 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. Reports persist, however, that this summer he could leave United to join Real Madrid.
Information from the Press Association was used in this report.
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