Leicester City‘s Kasper Schmeichel believes price tags for goalkeepers are now ‘ridiculously high’ after Liverpool and Chelsea both spent record-breaking money on keepers this summer.
Liverpool initially broke the record for the most expensive goalkeeper ever when they signed Alisson for a reported initial fee of £56m last month.
But Chelsea topped that record when they triggered the £71.6m release clause of Athletic Club’s Kepa Arrizabalaga in the penultimate day of the English transfer window.
Schmeichel has admitted that transfer fees for top-class goalkeepers have become increasingly inflated but believes it is also money well spent.
Speaking to ESPN Brasil, the Denmark goalkeeper said: “I think generally transfers are ridiculously high at the moment.
“It was only a matter of time before goalkeepers would get in on the act, because a good goalkeeper can be the difference between winning the league and not winning the league.
“That’s the market at the moment. I think the Neymar transfer was pivotal to everything. Prices became very inflated and from there it was always going to reach every position.
“You saw it with Virgil van Dijk and now with Alisson – the market value has really gone up high.”
Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson is a player that Schmeichel has been particularly impressed with since his £35m arrival from Benfica last summer.
“For someone, particularly at that age, to be playing fearlessly as he is, he plays with high risk and his reading of the game is exceptional.
“It’s a trademark of Guardiola. You saw exactly how he played with Neuer as well.”
Can Alisson and Kepa hit the ground running?
Former Roma goalkeeper Alisson is the current Brazil number one goalkeeper ahead of Ederson.
An excellent breakthrough season in Serie A saw the Reds happy to make him their second-most expensive signing of all time.
He has been able to play in Liverpool’s final two pre-season friendlies and looks set to make his Premier League debut in the Reds’ season opener against West Ham United this Sunday.
Kepa arrives at Chelsea just two days before they kick-off their season with a trip to Huddersfield Town. Willy Caballero was between the sticks for the Blues’ Community Shield defeat to Manchester City last Sunday and it remains to be seen whether Maurizio Sarri will throw Kepa straight in for his debut this weekend.
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