Tier List: Best Premier League Sorare Goalkeepers
It was rumored for ages but Sorare acquired the rights to the Prem at the start of 2023 and this for the next four years. The anticipation reaches its peak as the Premier League kicks off once again! Turf Moor is the stage for the first game of the new season where newly promoted Burnley receives Manchester City. Already an exceptionally exciting matchup. Kompany vs Pep. The student vs the Master. The new team vs the Champions.
Introducing our debut Sorare x Premier League content: An exclusive article spotlighting the incredible goalkeepers of the Premier League in a Tier List! It's hard to believe we haven't covered this before, but we're excited to bring you all the insights on the talented shot-stoppers gracing the top flight. Selecting the ideal goalkeeper holds the key to securing valuable points consistently, week after week, as we all know a goalkeeper can make or break your Sorare line-up. For some years we've been seeing a shift into the new style of goalkeeper, most top teams now have a 'Sweeper goalkeeper'.
The whistle is about to blow, and the game is about to begin. Here we go!
Starter
Ederson Moraes (Manchester City)
Nailed in as a starter is of course the Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson and this for the past six years already. Ederson has redefined what a goalkeeper needs in his skillset. While many teams prioritize a goalkeeper's duty of keeping the ball out of the net, a Guardiola goalie's responsibilities extend beyond just that. In City's setup, Ederson plays a crucial role as their attacks initiate from the back, making him as influential as any outfield player in the team. The backup goalkeeper Stefan Ortega has played well in the few games (cup and rotation) he got to play, but he's no match for the Brazilian number 1. Last season, he kept 11 clean sheets, which isn't that much.
Jordan Pickford (Everton)
The cat is out of the bag for some time. I'm not a huge fan of Pickford. Pickford has often come under fire for his behavior during matches. I don't think I would have liked to play with him.
Everton barely escaped relegation last season, however, Jordan Pickford is determined to stay and help the club regain solid footing in the Premier League following two seasons of relegation contention. The 29-year-old has been a key member of Everton's squad since joining Sunderland and signed a new four-and-a-half-year contract at the club in February.
Pickford is being named as a possible transfer target for Manchester United. If you own a Pickford card, you'll need to follow that saga, as he won't be going as a starting goalkeeper.
Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)
Some exciting, and expensive, transfers so far at Arsenal (Rice, Timber, Havertz), who came out the Mercato stronger than last season. Ramsdale played the maximum of the games last season in the Premier League (together Raya and De Gea) which is of course an important achievement for us as Sorare players. Following his impressive performances for the Gunners, Ramsdale was rewarded with a new long-term contract at the Emirates Stadium. There is some criticism, however, mainly because Ramsdale is not the most modern goalkeeper in the premier league. Arsenal is currently touring in the USA where they played the MLS All-Star team. Arteta grabbed goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale for a chat and was gesturing in a way that seemed to imply he wanted quicker play. I'm interested to see what will happen next mercato with Ramsdale. Arsenal have two back-up goalkeepers in the squad. The Icelandic national goalkeeper with the flawless name, Runar Runarsson, is back from his loan at Alanyaspor. And the national goalkeeper from the USA, Matt Turner.
Neto (Bournemouth)
A few months ago Neto extended his contract in Bournemouth until 2026. there are no rumors of him linking somewhere else. However, Bournemouth brought some extra competition to the squad by getting Radu on loan from Inter.
In his most recent venture, Radu embarked on a six-month loan journey with Auxerre. Despite his efforts, the club found itself facing difficulties and ultimately suffered relegation from the top flight by the end of the season.
Mark Travers very recently went on loan to the Championship team Stoke City for the season to come.
Nick Pope (Newcastle United)
During the 2022-23 season, Pope showcased a formidable performance for Newcastle United, tallying an impressive 14 clean sheets. As a vital component of the team's defense, he made crucial saves that significantly contributed to their overall success throughout the campaign. He joined the club in the summer of 2022 from Burnley. He was one of the most consistent Premier League goalkeepers last season.
The backup goalkeepers are Dubravka and Karius.
Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham Hotspur)
New signing Vicario is a strong dominant goalkeeper who can grow into Hugo Lloris' gloves. Vicario has joined Spurs from Empoli to replace Lloris as the club's new No1.
Hugo Lloris is reportedly considering a return to a French team.
Last season, Vicario's brilliance for Empoli was evident as he managed to keep seven clean sheets in 31 Serie A matches. His exceptional shot-stopping abilities and composure on the ball set him apart and caught the attention of many.
Despite his impressive performances, the 26-year-old goalkeeper is yet to make his debut for the Italian national team under the management of Roberto Mancini, despite being called up on several occasions in the last year.
Bernd Leno (FC Fulham)
The German goalkeeper Leno has been praised as ‘one of the best’ in the Premier League. He joined Fulham last summer coming from Arsenal where he lost the number one jersey to Ramsdale, and he's been absolutely superb.
The second goalkeeper Rodak might leave this summer, he is looking for more minutes to play. Leeds is being named a possibility. Fulham is anticipated to secure a backup goalkeeper prior to the start of the season. Especially because Gazzaniga left on a free to Girona.
Alisson Becker (Liverpool)
I can't present a better name than Alisson's as a certain starter this season. He is considered one of the best Premier League goalkeepers these past years.
We can however talk about the second goalkeeper Kelleher. You might know the Irish goalkeeper from his penalty goal against Kepa in the League Cup final in 2022. Kelleher kept a 120-minute clean sheet and nailed the winning penalty. Kelleher is generally accepted to be the best backup 2 in the League, which in itself, is an odd compliment to make. The decision by Liverpool to re-sign Adrian on a one-year deal for this season is intriguing. It might be a clever move to consider sending the Irishman out on loan to provide him with the consistent playing time he desires. Kelleher is being linked with the Wolves if José Sa ends up leaving.
André Onana (Manchester United)
One of the most exciting transfers so far in the offseason, Onana transferred permanently from Internazionale. The Cameroonian has managed to adapt well to his new surroundings. While there will be some errors, the team's style of play and willingness to take risks will ultimately lead to improvements in the long run. De Gea, although one of the best goalkeepers in the league, wasn't the right goalkeeper for the new style of play. Onana is handpicked by Ten Hag to join ManU and play TenHag ball.
After a successful loan spell at Nottingham Forest, the second goalkeeper Dean Henderson rejoins Man U. Forest is trying to sign Henderson on a permanent deal (among others) but Ten Hag told Henderson to fight for his place at Manchester United. That being said, Onana is pretty much an unquestionable starting goalkeeper.
Wes Foderingham (Sheffield United)
Sheffield United has officially reclaimed their spot in the Premier League for the upcoming season after a two-year absence. Sheffield has two goalkeepers under contract: backup goalkeeper Adam Davies and starting goalkeeper Wes Foderingham. Last year, Foderingham featured in 40 matches for Sheffield and managed to keep 17 clean sheets. With his recent contract extension until 2024, he is expected to be the first goalkeeper for Sheffield. A contract extension for one year isn't a real vote of confidence in my opinion. Sheffield isn't looking actively for a new goalkeeper but was being linked with Trafford before he went to Burnley.
Both goalkeepers have no cards minted.
Should Be the Starter
Bart Verbruggen (Brighton and Hove Albion)
To play De Zerbi-ball successfully, a goalkeeper with exceptional footwork is crucial, and the highly respected scouting system of Brighton identified Verbruggen from Anderlecht.
The burning question: Who will be the starting goalkeeper Steele or Verbruggen? Steele's remarkable ability to pass from the back and consistent performances significantly contributed to Brighton's impressive sixth-place finish in the Premier League, granting them qualification for the Europa League in the next season.
Steele might start the season but Verbruggen is one of the biggest signings ever for Brighton. They won't let him rot on the bench.
Sanchez has two years left on his current deal but his future remains in doubt.
Robert Sánchez, the Spanish international who was initially the starting goalkeeper but lost his position to Jason Steele. They also have Canada international Tom McGill and England Under-21 international Carl Rushworth in their ranks.
Lucasz Fabianski & Alphonse Areola (West Ham)
The winners of the Conference League! With Areola in goal, West Ham rotates the goalkeepers in the Premier League and the cups.
So I've added both goalkeepers as it's a bit of a coin flip who will be the starting goalkeeper. Both goalkeepers have exceptional skills, although the balance seems to be in favor of Areola. It will depend on coach Moyes. Fabianski played the first friendly games well and has recently signed a contract extension for a year. But he's also already 38 years old.
Areola seems to be the vote for the future and will not accept another season on the bench like last year. He has ambitions to be the first goalkeeper for France as well. Areola is also on the list of a bunch of other clubs: Fiorentina, Wolves, ... If he ends up leaving, West Ham has the money to find a pretty decent replacement after the sale of Rice to Arsenal.
James Trafford (Burnley)
Trafford is an English goalkeeper who has recently lifted the Under-21 European Championship with England without conceding a goal. Read that again because it's true. He's been on back-to-back loan spells at Bolton Wanderers. He has suggested that he would not hesitate to leave Manchester City in favor of becoming the number one elsewhere. So he did and went to newly promoted Burnley where he'll face his former teammates in the first game of the season. ManCity does have a buyback clause. Coach Kompany was looking all summer to add some additional quality to the goalkeeper department, in addition to Trafford, they also brought in Vigouroux.
And the goalkeeper from last season is also still around. Muric, the National goalkeeper for Kosovo, joined last summer from ManCity. With Muric between the stick, Burnley had the best defense in the Championship.
The real question remains, will Muric or Trafford be the starter? I doubt The Clarets paid 15 million euro for Trafford to be on the bench. However, he hasn't played any higher than League One. Now, with the offensive style of play Kompany has introduced to the club, I wouldn't buy a defensive stack any time soon. Trafford has no Sorare cards minted at this time.
Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
To be clear, the excentric Martinez is a 100% starter for Aston Villa.
However, Martinez may dream of a transfer to the absolute world top. Inter is hunting for the Aston Villa Argentinian goalkeeper. The Italian club is diligently looking for a new goalkeeper following Onana's departure. Inter, the losing Champions League finalist, is thinking about MartÃnez in that regard and has even already made a €15 million bid which was declined. Another interesting fact for Sorare managers. Martinez L15 is with 61.7 the highest in the league at the moment.
Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace)
Johnstone was designated as a long-term successor to No 1 goalkeeper Guaita, and ‘long-term’ was certainly the key. Spending most of last season on the bench under Vieira, Johnstone seemed to impress Hodgson, who started him in their last nine fixtures. Johnstone impressed towards the end of last season, with 26 saves in just nine starts, and managed to pick up some clean sheets along the way. Coach Hodgson signed a new contract and so it seems logical that Johnstone will be the starting goalkeeper.
If Pickford ends up leaving, Everton is reported to be first in line to sign Johnstone.
Starting to Get Worried
Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea)
Chelsea have had a busy summer in the transfer market. The club has shifted its focus away from prioritizing the signing of a goalkeeper, with Edouard Mendy departing to Saudi and Kepa solidified as the first-choice keeper. Marcus Bettinelli is the third-choice option, despite his previous experience as a Premier League starting goalkeeper.
Considering the circumstances, it seems likely that Slonina, a promising young American talent, might be loaned out to gain valuable playing time and further his development. KAS Eupen is being named. It is essential for his progress not to spend a season on the bench with limited opportunities. Kepa is not good enough to be a Chelsea keeper (then again who is...) and the fans want him gone, however, Chelsea prefers buying wingers.
José Sa (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
The Portuguese goalkeeper Sa is linked with a few clubs but mainly Nottingham Forest is interested. If Sa does leave the Wolves, which looks like a possibility, then bringing in a new goalkeeper will obviously be a priority for Julen Lopetegui. The name that is going around in the media is Kelleher (Liverpool), we talked about Kelleher earlier in the article.
Serious Doubt
David Raya (Brentford)
Raya has entered the last year of his contract and rejected two new contract proposals and the 27-year-old Spanish sensation was one of the revelations of the last Premier League season. He also expressed his interest in making a move to a bigger club. He's being linked with Bayern Munchen, Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea, ...
Brentford already bought a replacement, Flekken joins from Freiburg. So Flekken should be the starter goal The Netherlands international, 29, arrives on a four-year deal. Flekken kept 13 clean sheets in 34 Bundesliga matches in 22-23, the highest tally in the division, as Freiburg finished fifth. That Brentford then ended up with 29-year-old Flekken is no surprise. The club is one of the pioneers in the field of data use and that has not been a bad thing in recent years.
The Londoners have been on an impressive rise in English football. With clever scouting policies, Brentford has worked its way up from the third tier to the Premier League, meanwhile making more than 100 million in profits from buying and selling players.
Strakosha, the third goalkeeper, is also being named at Bayern.
James Shea? (Luton Town)
Modest Luton Town may play this season against the top teams in the Premier League. Luton Town disappeared from professional football in 2009. Five promotions and 14 years later, the club is at the very highest level. In a sold-out Wembley, they beat Coventry City in a direct duel for a ticket to the Premier League. After more than 120 minutes and a thrilling penalty sequence, 'The Hatters' won.
The first goalkeeper last season was Ethan Horvath, he was on loan from Nottingham Forest. As part of that loan agreement, Luton held an option to buy Horvath, which they did not trigger. Luton is on a quest for a new goalkeeper. A few names the media provided: Kaminski (Blackburn), Heaton (Man U), Wickens (Fulham), and Begovic (Everton).
James Shea holds the number one shirt at the moment and started both friendly games. Back up goalkeeper is Matt Macey. Hot take: Luton will have a very hard time in the Premier League.
Ethan Horvath? (Nottingham Forest)
Actually, I didn't know where to situate Nottingham Forest on this Sorare Tier list, as they don't have a starting goalkeeper at the moment. With the competition starting soon, I've put them in the red.
Ethan Horvath rejoins from Luton, he's on the transfer list, in his last contract year, and is being pushed out.
Forest is in the market for a new goalkeeper. Keylar Navas was the starting goalkeeper last season, but he rejoined PSG. The rumors that keep coming back are Dean Henderson (Man U), Matt Turner (Arsenal), and José Sa (Wolves). The others are Butez (Antwerp), Soria (Getafe), Audero (Sampdoria), and some other names. We assumed the Henderson deal was almost agreed upon when Onana joined, but it seems complicated for some reason and drags on.
Stats:
I've added the clean sheet list from last season to the article as clean sheets are the biggest/most common goalkeeper Sorare decisive.
