Football Manager 2024: Best Budget Goalkeepers

Highlights

• Goalkeepers in Football Manager 2024 need to have traditional skills like Reflexes and Handling, as well as modern skills like Kicking and Vision.
• Sergio Asenjo is a cheap option for either a backup or first-choice goalkeeper, offering solid skills for a budget of £1.5M.
• David De Gea, a legendary free agent, has outstanding Reflexes and other high-level attributes, making him one of the most wanted players in the game.

Guarding the last line of defense between the sticks is the sacred job of goalkeepers in Football Manager 2024. Traditionally, they are required to have competency in a certain set of skills, such as Reflexes, Handling, and Anticipation to keep the opposition’s forward from scoring, securing the traditional clean sheet in a football match.

However, with the renewed requirement for a modern goalkeeper, many teams are now looking for goalkeepers who can also contribute to the passage of play. As such, goalkeepers with above-average stats of Kicking and Vision also become a necessity, although such goalkeepers can be quite expensive to acquire. These keepers mitigate that issue, coming in cheap but providing instant value.

7 Sergio Asenjo

Cheap Option For Either A Backup Or First-Choice

• Price: £1,500,000
• Currently playing for: Real Valladolid

Sometimes, having a tight budget means that a manager needs to decide on a cheaper option for certain aspects of the team, including the defense. Although having a cheaper option between the sticks can lead to an increase in conceded goals, Sergio Asenjo can easily secure it for a mere £1.5M.

Asenjo can be brought in as either a backup goalkeeper for Cup competitions and the odd matches against the minnows or as a first-choice goalkeeper for teams with a tight budget. His above-average Handling, Reflexes, Postioning, and Decsions make him a solid choice on a budget.

6 Alessio Cragno

Capable Of Securing Clean Sheets With His Reflexes

• Price: £1,000,000
• Currently playing for: Monza

As the traditional requirement of a goalkeeper, Reflexes remain one of the most important attributes to have for players in the position. However, acquiring a goalkeeper with high Reflexes can prove to be both challenging and expensive at the same time. Fortunately, Alessio Cragno with his high Reflexes can be acquired for £1M.

Moreover, his high Reflexes are also complemented by his above-average Command of Area, making him able to secure the penalty area through coordination with the defenders in front of him. His above-average Handling, Positioning, and One-on-Ones further complement his set of skills.

5 Patrik Carlgren

One-On-One Specialist For Team With A Tight Budget

• Price: £1,700,000
• Currently playing for: Randers FC

Unfortunately, even the best defenders can get caught in transition, leaving the opposition free to charge along the field and into a one-on-one situation with the team’s goalkeeper. When this situation happens, a manager would hope that the goalkeeper would be more than capable of keeping the net safe from an incoming shot.

Patrik Carlgren remains a solid choice for a team with a tight budget that is looking for a goalkeeper with a high One-on-Ones attribute. Aside from that, he is also capable of Rushing Out with his attributes and has above-average Handling to smother any incoming shots.

4 Juan Carlos

High Reflexes Coupled With Aerial Reach

• Price: £1,200,000
• Currently playing for: Girona

During set pieces, such as corners and indirect free-kicks, goalkeepers need to be able to secure their penalty box by claiming any incoming crosses that are heading their way. However, a goalkeeper needs to have a certain set of attributes to secure any incoming crosses, such as Aerial Reach and Jumping.

Juan Carlos, available for a cheap price of £1.2M, can secure such tricky crosses with his Aerial Reach, coupled with his high Reflexes and Handling. Moreover, his above-average Concentration will ensure he stays free from any silly mistakes that could cost his team a goal.

3 Leandro Chichizola

Capable Of Hollywood Saves Off Tricky Shots

• Price: £1,000,000
• Currently playing for: Parma

Sometimes, having high Reflexes is not enough for a goalkeeper to save a tricky shot from the best forwards in the game, such as a powerful shot into the corner of the net. Saving those shots requires a goalkeeper to have both high Reflexes and Agility.

Leandro Chichizola, available for £1M from Parma, is able to save such tricky shots with his high Reflexes and above-average Agility. Moreover, his Command of Area is also decent enough for him to organize the backline before a set piece, or when defending against an attacking transition from the opponent’s team.

2 Shuichi Gonda

Veteran Goalkeeper In His Prime Years

• Price: £700,000
• Currently playing for: Shimizu

In contrast with the usual outfield players, goalkeepers are players who can age like a fine wine, making them able to perform at the highest level during their twilight playing years. Therefore, acquiring such a veteran should not be a problem for a team with a strict budget, with one such example being Shuichi Gonda.

At the price of £700k, Gonda offers an impressive set of attributes with high Reflexes and Agility, making him able to save tricky shots from long-shot specialist midfielders. Moreover, his above-average Handling and Positioning also complement his other goalkeeping attributes quite well.

1 David De Gea

Legendary Free Agent Capable Of Miracles

• Currently is a Free Agent

Veteran players of the game will be familiar with the name David De Gea, the legendary goalkeeper of Manchester United who was recently released and is currently a free agent on the market. Although his status as a Free Agent might be a hindrance in some cases, it enables him to be acquired freely by teams that can match his ambitions.

His outstanding Reflexes make him capable of miracles, such as saving point-blank shots with ease. Moreover, they are also complemented by high Handling, Aerial Reach, and Agility. His Determination is also high enough to rally other players on the field, making him one of the most wanted free agents in the game.