The 10 Best Current Premier League Goalkeepers—Ranked
Premier League goalkeepers have never had things tougher.
Not only are English soccer’s finest goal guarders expected to be unflappable shot-stopping machines, producing decisive saves at key junctures, they’re required to possess the distribution skills of an elite midfielder and the unwavering concentration of a brain surgeon.
Fortunately, there are an array of stoppers in England’s top tier who boast many of the necessary attributes to thrive in the world’s most pressurised division, protecting their net with admirable assurance and vim.
How We Define the Premier League’s Best Current Goalkeepers
Largely synced up with Sports Illustrated’s best players in the world lists, the order is defined not only by recent form but contributions over a longer period of time, a player’s standing in the game and their overall reputation.
Statistics are often used as the barometer for what goods like, but we take into account the eye test as well. What players say in post-match interviews is also a factor—you know, that classic line of questioning that is often put to a full back when they’ve taken on a pacy winger or when a centre back is asked what it’s like to face a relentless goalscorer.
10. Robin Roefs
Robin Roefs has taken the Premier League by storm. / Getty/Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto
Robin Roefs is the youngest and least experienced goalkeeper on this list, with barely two years of senior soccer under his belt—but you would never know it from watching him play.
After a standout breakthrough campaign with NEC in the Eredivisie in 2024–25, Roefs was snapped up by newly promoted Sunderland that summer. Since then, he has taken the Premier League by storm, impressing with lightning-quick reflexes, commanding handling from crosses and the composure to start attacks with his distribution.
Remarkably, during the first half of the 2025-26 season he posted the highest save percentage of any goalkeeper in the division. That form was central to Sunderland’s surprise rise, transforming them from relegation favorites into unlikely European qualifiers.
9. Giorgi Mamardashvili
Giorgi Mamardashvili. / Marcel ter Bals/DeFodi Images/Getty Images
Giorgi Mamardashvili earned a move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs after an outstanding Euro 2024 campaign with surprise package Georgia, where his performances made him one of the tournament’s breakout stars.
Liverpool moved quickly to secure his services, initially loaning him back to Valencia before bringing him to Anfield for the 2025–26 season. However, his debut campaign offered limited opportunities—particularly in the Premier League—making it difficult to fully judge the Georgian goalkeeper.
His performances were a mixed bag when called upon, from an impressive clean sheet against Real Madrid in the Champions League to a costly mistake in a 4–2 defeat against Aston Villa late in the league season.
Still, with more regular minutes and the enormous pressure of eventually replacing the legendary Alisson Becker set aside, Mamardashvili has all the physical tools and shot-stopping ability to develop into one of Europe’s elite goalkeepers.
8. Matz Sels
Matz Sels. / Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Nottingham Forest—and, by extension, Matz Sels—didn’t enjoy the smoothest 2025–26 campaign, but many of the club’s struggles were caused more by off-field turbulence and constant changes in the dugout than a lack of quality on the pitch.
That certainly applies to Sels.
Before the turbulence of 2025–26, the Belgian was the definition of consistency between the posts.
Standing behind a physical Forest defense, Sels became a hugely important figure in the club’s rise, combining excellent positioning and strong shot-stopping ability. His performances helped Forest secure Europa League qualification, while he also shared the Premier League Golden Glove with David Raya in 2024–25.
With greater stability now returning to the City Ground, Sels has every chance of rediscovering the form that made him one of the Premier League’s most dependable goalkeepers.
7. Dean Henderson
Dean Henderson is a spot kick specialist. / Sathire Kelpa/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Had Crystal Palace been without Dean Henderson in goal, the club’s recent success may never have happened.
The England international—whose career had previously been marked by uncertainty after a series of loans and setbacks—has rebuilt his reputation at Selhurst Park, proving he belongs among the Premier League’s elite goalkeepers.
Henderson played a pivotal role in Palace’s FA Cup, Community Shield, and UEFA Conference League triumphs. His lightning-quick reflexes, aggressive sweeping outside the box, and exceptional penalty-saving ability repeatedly delivered in the biggest moments, making him one of the key architects of the most successful period in the club’s history.
6. Jordan Pickford
Jordan Pickford excels for England. / Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images
Jordan Pickford long had a reputation for producing his best performances in an England shirt while struggling to consistently reach the same level for his club. Errors, inconsistency and a habit of visibly venting his frustration at teammates often made him an easy target for criticism.
In recent years, though, the Everton captain has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence and is now every bit as dependable for his club as he is for the Three Lions.
As Everton battled against relegation season after season, Pickford was often the man who kept the club afloat, combining outstanding reflexes with a commanding presence—helped, of course, by his booming Mackem voice.
Now, with the Toffees looking up the table rather than over their shoulder, he finally has the platform to showcase his quality in a side capable of competing for much bigger prizes.
5. Emiliano Martinez
Emi Martínez is a two-time Yashin Trophy winner. / Dan Mullan/Getty Images
Emiliano Martínez has often saved his most memorable performances for the international stage with Argentina, but he’s still conjured up consistently super performances with Aston Villa. There’s a reason he’s a two-time Yashin Trophy winner.
Martínez might not be everyone’s favourite character on the pitch—his antics often wind up opposition supporters—but his shot-stopping abilities and leadership qualities are undeniable.
The World Cup winner appeared to have one foot out the door at Villa Park last summer, but his impressive re-integration into Unai Emery’s squad speaks to his elite mindset.
4. Senne Lammens
Senne Lammens has brought calm to United. / Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images
With the backing of none other than Sir Alex Ferguson, Senne Lammens looks every bit like the long-term solution to Manchester United’s goalkeeping problems.
Since arriving at Old Trafford from Royal Antwerp in the summer of 2025, the Belgian has brought a sense of calm and assurance to a defense that had too often looked unsettled in previous seasons (we’re looking at you, André Onana).
Standing at 6'4", Lammens combines an imposing presence with excellent reflexes, composure under pressure and outstanding one-on-one shot-stopping ability. Unfazed by the immense expectations that come with playing for one of the world’s biggest clubs, he quickly established himself as a key figure in United’s resurgence, playing a major role in the club’s outstanding 2025–26 campaign.
3. Alisson
Alisson is still the best in the division. / Carl Recine/Getty Images
Liverpool had long struggled for consistency in between the sticks, but then Alisson came along. Eyebrows were raised when near $90 million was splashed on the Brazilian back in 2018, but the steadfast stopper quickly silenced his critics with dazzling displays.
Need a 70-yard pass pinged to Mohamed Salah? Alisson can do that. Want someone to pluck a looping cross out of the sky without breaking sweat? He can do that, too. Require a last-ditch save in a one-v-one situation in the dying embers? There’s nobody better.
Alisson is the complete package in net and few have exhibited quite such an array of attributes in Premier League history. His quality is matched by his longevity, with nobody having been able to usurp the Liverpool hero for quite some time.
2. Gianluigi Donnarumma
Gianluigi Donnarumma is a man-mountain between the sticks. / Visionhaus/Getty Images
Gianluigi Donnarumma was the man who pinched Martínez’s status as holder of the Yashin Trophy. The Italian was largely impenetrable en route to Champions League glory with Paris Saint-Germain last season before being unceremoniously dumped by the French giants.
Donnarumma’s apparent financial demands and his lack of precision with the ball at his feet saw PSG part ways with their star stopper, but Pep Guardiola wasn’t dissuaded by the discourse surrounding the former Milan goalkeeper.
Manchester City benefitted from the demise of Donnarumma’s relationship with PSG, signing one of the world’s best stoppers for a bargain fee. His gigantic frame and lightning quick reflexes have already made him a hit at the Etihad Stadium.
1. David Raya
David Raya is crucial to Arsenal’s watertight defence. / IMAGO/Every Second Media
Many felt Aaron Ramsdale was treated harshly when Mikel Arteta swiftly replaced him with David Raya at the beginning of the 2023–24 season, but the Spaniard’s subsequent ascent to superstardom has underscored Arteta’s eye for detail.
Requiring a goalkeeper with expert distribution, quiet self-assurance and, of course, excellent reactions, Raya was the perfect fit for Arteta’s demands, with the compatriots sharing complete trust in one another.
The ex-Brentford goalkeeper has helped transform Arsenal’s rearguard in recent years, providing a reliable last line of defense behind an already resilient backline. He makes the challenging look simple and seemingly has no weaknesses to his game.
Raya has proven an inspired Arteta addition.
