Updated 22 September 2026. Five Gameweeks have changed the goalkeeper market. Konstantinos Tzolakis now leads the position on 34 FPL points, David Raya is the premium benchmark on 30, and several cheaper keepers have made the old preseason rankings obsolete.
The short answer
There is no single goalkeeper who is automatically best for every FPL squad.
The correct choice depends on your structure:
| Manager type | Best route to consider |
|---|---|
| Want a set-and-forget premium | David Raya |
| Want current points + value | Konstantinos Tzolakis |
| Want the cheapest strong starting route | Bart Verbruggen |
| Want save volume with secure minutes | James Trafford / Jordan Pickford |
| Want Liverpool clean-sheet exposure | Alisson |
| Wildcard GW6 + possible Bench Boost GW7 | Consider two playable keepers, but only if both are genuine starters |
The key is to judge the whole £100m squad, not goalkeeper points in isolation.
Use Player Lab for live prices and Fixtures for the latest schedule.
Current goalkeeper snapshot after GW5
| Goalkeeper | Club | Price | FPL points | Early-season evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Konstantinos Tzolakis | Hull | £4.6m | 34 | 3 clean sheets, penalty save, save points |
| David Raya | Arsenal | £6.1m | 30 | 3 clean sheets, penalty save, elite defence |
| James Trafford | Leeds | £5.0m | 28 | Strong save volume, 2 clean sheets |
| Alisson | Liverpool | £5.5m | 27 | 3 clean sheets, secure Liverpool route |
| Jordan Pickford | Everton | £5.5m | 25 | 3 clean sheets, saves, secure minutes |
| Bart Verbruggen | Brighton | £4.5m | 23 | Cheapest strong Wildcard structure route |
Prices and ownership can move throughout the international break. Recheck Player Lab before transferring.
Latest FPL news
1. Konstantinos Tzolakis — best current value case
Tzolakis has been the surprise leader of the goalkeeper position through five Gameweeks.
His 34 points have come from a combination of:
- three clean sheets,
- a penalty save,
- regular save points,
- bonus potential,
- a still-affordable £4.6m price.
That is exactly the combination managers want from a cheaper keeper: clean sheets plus an additional route to points when the clean sheet disappears.
GW6 question
Hull host Everton.
That is not a fixture that forces a transfer out.
The bigger question is whether Hull's defensive performance is sustainable enough to hold Tzolakis for several weeks rather than chasing his opening five Gameweeks.
OneFPL view: strong Wildcard candidate if you want to save £1.5m versus Raya.
2. David Raya — premium set-and-forget route
Arsenal's 3-0 loss at Brighton in GW5 was a useful reminder that no premium goalkeeper guarantees clean sheets.
It does not erase Arsenal's defensive quality.
Raya has:
- highly secure minutes,
- three clean sheets,
- penalty-save upside,
- one of the strongest defensive teams,
- Leeds at home in GW6.
Arsenal then travel to Nottingham Forest before hosting Everton.
The downside is obvious: £6.1m is a lot of goalkeeper budget.
Every £1.0m spent on Raya instead of a £4.5m option is money you cannot use on:
- a premium defender,
- midfield,
- a stronger third forward,
- a playable Bench Boost bench.
Who should buy Raya?
Managers who want to:
- pick one goalkeeper and stop spending transfers on the position,
- invest in Arsenal defence without paying Gabriel's price,
- combine clean-sheet probability with complete start security.
Read Best Arsenal Triple-Up for GW6 before deciding whether Raya is the best use of an Arsenal slot.
3. Bart Verbruggen — best £4.5m structure play
Verbruggen matters because price is part of goalkeeper value.
At £4.5m, he lets managers spend more aggressively in midfield and attack.
Brighton's immediate schedule begins:
- Sunderland away,
- Crystal Palace home,
- Liverpool away,
- Manchester City away,
- Brentford home.
That is mixed rather than perfect.
The attraction is therefore not "five easy clean sheets".
It is:
- secure starting role,
- £4.5m price,
- Brighton's improving team,
- save potential,
- ability to support a stronger outfield structure.
Brighton begin Conference League play between GW6 and GW7, but goalkeepers are usually less vulnerable to European rotation than outfield players.
OneFPL view: strongest pure budget structure option if you prefer spending outfield.
4. James Trafford — strong keeper, bad GW6 entry fixture
Trafford has 28 points after five Gameweeks and has combined clean sheets with a useful save floor.
But Leeds travel to Arsenal in GW6.
That makes him easier to hold than to buy immediately.
This is an important FPL principle:
A good goalkeeper can still be the wrong transfer this week.
If you already own Trafford, one difficult fixture is rarely enough reason to spend a goalkeeper transfer.
If you are Wildcarding, compare the next five rather than buying last week's points.
5. Alisson — premium keeper with a club-slot cost
Alisson has 27 points and Liverpool have already kept three clean sheets.
His advantages:
- elite start security,
- strong clean-sheet environment,
- saves,
- bonus potential.
His structural disadvantage is the Liverpool slot.
Owning Alisson can make it harder to combine three Liverpool outfield assets later.
Liverpool also host Manchester City in GW6.
That does not make Alisson a sell. It simply weakens him as a fresh GW6 Wildcard buy compared with goalkeepers who have a cleaner entry point.
6. Jordan Pickford — secure and steady
Pickford combines:
- Everton's strong defensive start,
- three clean sheets,
- reliable minutes,
- saves,
- a GW6 trip to Hull.
He is a useful middle ground between Raya's premium price and the £4.5m–£4.6m options.
The question is whether £5.5m produces enough advantage over Tzolakis or Verbruggen.
OneFPL view: good hold and viable Wildcard pick, but not an automatic priority transfer.
GW6 goalkeeper fixtures
| Goalkeeper | GW6 fixture | Initial read |
|---|---|---|
| Raya | Leeds (H) | Strong |
| Tzolakis | Everton (H) | Playable |
| Pickford | Hull (A) | Playable |
| Verbruggen | Sunderland (A) | Playable |
| Alisson | Man City (H) | Difficult |
| Trafford | Arsenal (A) | Difficult |
A one-week fixture should not decide a goalkeeper transfer, but it matters when two options are otherwise close.
Raya vs Tzolakis
This is the key premium-versus-value decision.
Raya
Choose Raya if you value:
- stronger team defence,
- long-term security,
- fewer weekly goalkeeper decisions,
- Arsenal coverage.
Tzolakis
Choose Tzolakis if you value:
- lower price,
- save upside,
- current performance,
- using the £1.5m elsewhere.
The right comparison is not:
Raya vs Tzolakis.
It is:
Raya + cheaper outfielder
versus
Tzolakis + the outfield upgrade funded by the saving.
Model that in the Transfer Planner.
Should Wildcard managers own two playing goalkeepers?
Usually, one strong starter plus a cheap backup is enough.
The exception is when you have a specific near-term Bench Boost plan.
If you Wildcard in GW6 and genuinely plan to Bench Boost in GW7, a second playing goalkeeper has immediate value because his score will count.
But do not spend an extra £0.5m–£1.0m for a hypothetical chip several months away.
Read the updated Bench Boost Strategy.
Goalkeeper rotation pairs
Rotation works only when both keepers:
- start securely,
- are affordable,
- have genuinely complementary fixtures,
- will not force future transfers.
A cheap pair such as Tzolakis + Verbruggen can be considered by a Bench Boost manager, but there is a cost:
- money sits on the bench most weeks,
- you can bench the higher-scoring keeper,
- price rises can make the pair less efficient.
For most non-Bench-Boost squads, one clear No 1 remains simpler.
Premium goalkeeper vs premium defender
This is one of the most important structure questions.
Compare:
Raya + £4.5m defender
with
£4.5m goalkeeper + premium Arsenal defender
A premium defender can add:
- goals,
- assists,
- defensive contributions,
- bonus.
A goalkeeper can add:
- saves,
- penalty saves,
- bonus,
- complete minute security.
Neither route is universally superior.
Read Best FPL Defenders and Best £4.5m Defenders before deciding.
Wildcard ranking by manager type
| Need | Preferred route |
|---|---|
| Set-and-forget | Raya |
| Best current points/value balance | Tzolakis |
| Cheapest strong structure | Verbruggen |
| Save-heavy option | Trafford |
| Liverpool defensive route | Alisson |
| Mid-price security | Pickford |
| Immediate BB setup | Two secure starters only |
What would change this ranking?
Update the goalkeeper page when:
- starting status changes,
- a keeper loses his place,
- price movement changes value,
- team defensive numbers change materially,
- injuries affect the defence in front of him,
- a Wildcard/Bench Boost window changes squad structure.
OneFPL verdict
Raya remains the cleanest premium route.
Tzolakis has the strongest combination of current output and price.
Verbruggen is the best pure budget-structure play.
Trafford, Alisson and Pickford remain good FPL keepers but need to beat those alternatives at their prices.
Do not transfer a goalkeeper because of one clean sheet or one blank.
Pick a structure you can hold.
Related OneFPL guides
- Best GW6 Wildcard Team
- Best £4.5m FPL Defenders
- Best FPL Defenders
- Bench Boost Strategy
- European Rotation Guide
- Player Lab
- Fixtures
- Transfer Planner
FAQ
Who is the best FPL goalkeeper right now?
Tzolakis leads the position for points after five Gameweeks, while Raya remains the strongest premium set-and-forget route.
Is Raya worth £6.1m?
He can be if you want Arsenal defensive coverage and will hold him long term. The key question is what the cheaper goalkeeper saving would buy elsewhere.
Is Tzolakis chasing points?
His opening returns are excellent, but three clean sheets and a penalty save will not repeat every five Gameweeks. Buy him for price, saves and role as well as points.
Is Verbruggen a good GW6 Wildcard goalkeeper?
Yes as a budget structure option, especially if spending the saving improves your outfield squad.
Should I own two playing keepers?
Usually only if both are cheap or you have a near-term Bench Boost plan.
Sources
- Premier League — FPL Team of the Season after five Gameweeks
- Official Fantasy Premier League
- OneFPL Player Lab
Player prices and points are a snapshot from 22 September 2026 and can change.
