The following are the ten most expensive keepers transfers in history: David Raya has been added to the list after Arsenal move becomes permanent

Football clubs are no longer hesitant to invest in top-tier goalkeepers, despite the fact that attackers and midfielders frequently dominate the spotlight.

The contemporary goalkeeper’s responsibilities have evolved, as they are now expected to possess proficiency in both their hands and feet.

We have examined the ten most expensive goalkeepers of all time and their subsequent performance following the significant investment.

Please be advised that we have only considered the initial transfer fees and have not accounted for any prospective add-ons.

10 = £25 million for Robert Sanchez
Sanchez, who was one of two Chelsea goalkeepers on this list, relocated to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2023. He departed Brighton for a sum of £25 million.

Prior to his absence from the second half of the 2023/24 season due to a knee injury, the Spain international conceded 25 goals in 16 Premier League appearances.

He has had a disappointing start to his Chelsea career; however, recent reports indicate that he will be Enzo Maresca’s primary custodian for the 2024/25 season.

10= Jordan Pickford – £25 million
Pickford demonstrated his potential and was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award, despite being relegated with Sunderland in the 2016/17 season.

He promptly returned to the Premier League and signed with Everton in a deal that was initially valued at £25 million. This transaction established him as the most expensive British custodian in history.

The England international recently claimed the Everton Player of the Season award for a third consecutive campaign, and the fee now appears to be a bargain.

8. David Raya – £27 million
In the summer of 2023, Raya transferred from Brentford to Arsenal on an initial loan agreement, and he succeeded Aaron Ramsdale as the club’s primary custodian.

The Gunners activated the £27million purchase option that was included in the loan agreement after he won the Premier League Golden Glove in 2023/24.

“David demonstrated his significance to us last season, and we are thrilled that he is now officially our player,” Mikel Arteta stated. “We are extremely pleased to continue collaborating with him, as he is a significant figure in our dressing room.”

“We are confident that he will continue to build upon the strong foundations he established last season and achieve even greater success with us in the future.”

7. Jasper Cillessen – £31.4 million
Valencia’s agreement to pay £31.4million for Cillessen, who had only made five La Liga appearances during his three-year tenure at Barcelona, aroused eyebrows in the summer of 2019.

The Netherlands international was unable to justify the high price tag, and his tenure at the Mestalla was also characterised by a series of injury issues.

He was subsequently transferred to Eredivisie club NEC Nijmegen for a mere €1million after being usurped by Giorgi Mammardashvili in the 2021/22 season.

7. Thibaut Courtois – £31.4 million
In the summer of 2018, Courtois relocated to Real Madrid for a fee of £31.4 million after declining to sign a contract extension with Chelsea.

The Belgium international has since solidified his position as one of the world’s finest goalkeepers, despite a challenging debut season at the Santiago Bernabeu.

He has contributed to Madrid’s success in the following competitions: the FIFA World Club Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, the Copa del Rey, two Champions Leagues, and three La Liga titles.

The 32-year-old was notably exceptional in the 2021/22 Champions League victory, making a record number of saves in the final victory over Liverpool.

5. Gianluigi Buffon – £32.6 million
Buffon became the most expensive custodian in the world after Juventus sold Zinedine Zidane to Real Madrid in the summer of 2001.

The former Italy international was a relative bargain, making 656 appearances in all competitions over the next 17 years and winning nine Serie A titles, Serie B, and four Coppa Italia trophies.

He stated, ‘If we consider my acquisition at Juventus, the sum of money they spent on me was met with a unanimous condemnation from all critics: ‘You cannot pay that much for a custodian.’.

“And, you know, it is appropriate that those conversations occur as well.” However, I remained at Juventus for 17 years in the end. I believe that Juve executed one of their most successful business transactions in history in conjunction with me. I doubt that anyone could argue with that based on the current state of the matter.

4. Ederson – £34.7 million
Buffon’s 16-year tenure as the world’s most expensive custodian concluded in 2017 when Manchester City acquired Ederson from Benfica for £34.7 million.

He promptly succeeded Claudio Bravo in Pep Guardiola’s starting lineup and solidified his status as one of the world’s most exceptional ball-playing goalkeepers.

The Brazilian international has now won the Premier League six times, the Carabao Cup four times, and the FA Cup twice.

In 2022/23, he also won the Champions League trophy after delivering an exceptional performance in the final against Inter Milan.

3. Andre Onana – £43.8 million
In the 2022/23 Champions League final, Onana received numerous accolades for his performance against Manchester City, despite ultimately losing.

He subsequently joined Manchester United in a deal worth an initial £43.8million and was entrusted with filling the void left by David de Gea’s departure.

However, the Cameroon international experienced a challenging start to his Old Trafford tenure and committed a series of high-profile errors as the club was eliminated from the Champions League at the group stage.

In the latter half of the 2023/24 season, he began to regain his peak form and provided assistance in the 2024 FA Cup final as United defeated Manchester City.

2. Alisson Becker – £56 million
Liverpool acquired Alisson in a transaction valued at an initial £56 million following Loris Karius’s nightmare performance in the 2018 Champions League final.

The hiring of the Brazil international has been transformative for the Reds, as he has assisted them in winning the Champions League, the Premier League, the FA Cup, the Carabao Cup, and the FIFA World Club Cup.

He has also collected a variety of individual accolades, such as the Yashin Trophy, two Golden Gloves, and the Best FIFA Men’s Keeper award.

Jurgen Klopp, the former manager of Liverpool, acknowledged, “I would have paid twice as much if I had known Alisson was this good.”

1. Kepa Arrizabalaga – £71.6 million
Chelsea activated the £71.6million release clause in Kepa’s Athletic Bilbao contract in the summer of 2018, following the sale of Courtois and the failure to secure Alisson.

During his initial two years at Stamford Bridge, he committed a number of errors, the most notable of which was a high-profile altercation with the then-manager, Maurizio Sarri, during the 2019 League Cup final.

Following Chelsea’s acquisition of Edouard Mendy in the summer of 2020, the Spain international was relegated to the role of backup custodian.

He was on loan at Real Madrid during the 2023/24 season and is currently being linked with a permanent transfer to Saudi Pro League team Al-Ittihad.