The most powerful clubs in the world no longer only reserve their checkbook for the forwards or the creative soccer players, they also give priority to the number 1 on the court

This summer's transfer market, once the 2018 World Cup was over, has been one of the most memorable for the goalkeepers, since in 2001 Juventus paid a lot of money to Parma for the services of the Italian Gianluigi Buffon. But if we talk about 2018, the first blow at the table was given by Liverpool, who spent 62.5 million euros to hire the Brazilian Alisson Becker, who was part of the Roma.

Leer en español: Estos son los multimillonarios fichajes de los porteros en el fútbol europeo

According to Goal, the business also agreed with 10 million extra as variable. However, the business of the decade was that of Athletic Bilbao with his young goalkeeper of 23 years, Kepa Arrizabalaga, for whom it paid Chelsea 80 million euros. The goal scorer became the most expensive Spanish soccer player in history, according to Marca, while Chelsea remained true to its style since the Russian Román Abramóvich is its owner.

Kepa surpassed the price of forward Álvaro Morata, who is now second, while third in the order is the veteran Fernando "El Niño" Torres, who was traded from the Blues to Liverpool in exchange for 58 "kilos". After knowing the arrival of Kepa to the London box, almost immediately the signing of the Belgian Thibaut Courtois, which cost 35 million euros to Real Madrid, became official.

Thus, the cases of Courtois, Kepa and Alisson confirm the growing market that has opened for the owners of the goal. For the clubs it has become fundamental to have a good backup behind, in addition to a good scorer, a creative midfielder or midfielder who organizes the actions of the game.

Other examples

In 2017, the current goalkeeper of the England National Team, Jordan Pickford, was transferred from Sunderland to Everton in exchange for 28.5 million euros. That same year, informs Goal, Manchester City took out of its checkbook 40 million to have in its ranks the Brazilian Ederson Moraes, who at that time militated in Benfica of Portugal.

For its part, the website Trash makes a point aside the German Manuel Neuer, who in 2011 was signed by Bayern Munich in exchange for 30 million euros that were disbursed to Schalke 04. Another transfer that reverberated in that market of the 2011 was that of David de Gea, who went from Atlético de Madrid to Manchester United for 25 million euros.

You can also read: These are the 6 most controversial signings of South American football

However, in the Top 5 is Gianluigi Buffon who held the first place in the ranking until this year when the multimillion-dollar transfer of Alisson from Rome to Liverpool was confirmed, although after another came another more impressive: Kepa's to Chelsea.

But without doubt, the case of Buffon was the first to have millions and an archer in between. Gigi spent 17 years at the Vecchia Signora, with which he played 655 games, 300 of them without receiving a goal, as Semana magazine recalls. The same media also mentions the comment of the Turin club president, Andrea Agnelli, who said that Buffon leaves "a crazy number".

But the Italian's career did not end there as it was speculated, as the goalkeeper went to Paris Saint-Germain, where he will try to win the elusive Champions League. Another case that drew attention was that of Francesco Toldo, whose signing was given parallel to Buffon, that is, in 2001. According to Mundo Deportivo, former Azzurra goalkeeper went to Inter Milan after 26 million euros that they disbursed to Fiorentina.

The transfer market closed on August 31 and what happened with the Brazilian, the Belgian and the Spanish can be an example that the goalkeepers have ceased to be the Cinderella in the lavish world of the millions that move soccer.

LatinAmerican Post | Yeinson Fajardo Bohórquez

Translated from "Así está el fútbol europeo: Una danza de millones por los porteros"