Does FC Barcelona need a new goalkeeper? There are some fans who think so. They think they need another goalkeeper to either displace Marc-André ter Stegen as the top choice outright, or bring in one who would at least replace Iñaki Peña as the #2 and compete for the #1 spot.
Ter Stegen has long served as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper and only was momentarily replaced by Peña while he was injured. The 25-year-old performed well enough, but in the end did not convince Xavi to stick with him. The German was restored to the starting XI.
Looking at some advanced stats, Ter Stegen did a reasonable, albeit not fantastic job in La Liga this season. If you look at his post-shot expected goals (a measurement which calculates how many goals the average goalkeeper would allow given the shots he faced) vs. how many goals he actually conceded, it’s almost even. He was expected to allow 25.6 goals, and he allowed 26. That was a bit worse than average in La Liga as well.
Peña did slightly worse, allowing 17 goals vs. 13.9 expected. Of course, this is only one statistical measurement, but it’s one of the most advanced ones.
Given the club’s financial situation, Barcelona would probably be unable to buy a top, expensive goalkeeper. However, there are some keepers out there who may fit the bill.
Let’s start with Alex Meret. The Italian is finishing the last year of his contract with Napoli and should be available on a free transfer. His post-shot xG stats are a bit better than Ter Stegen’s although they are not otherworldly. The question would be if he’s as good with his feet as the German, or at least close to it. His passing completion percentage last season was 83.4%.
Another player available for free is Koen Casteels. He’s been Wolfsburg’s #1 this season. His post-shot xG stats are also a bit better than Ter Stegen’s, although once again, they are not incredible. His pass percentage is 70.2%. For comparison, Ter Stegen’s was 85.9% and Peña’s 84.9%. Of course, players with lower completion rates may just be attempting longer passes. But it’s worth considering.
Another potential free transfer is Stole Dimitrievski, who plays for Rayo Vallecano. He allowed 43 goals vs. a post-shot xG of 43.8. That’s not amazing, but it is higher than others’. His completion percentage is only 56.2%, but once again, that’s largely because Rayo play a different style. Barcelona have been linked with him before.
One last goalkeeper to consider: Álvaro Valles. He has a contract that expires next year and is rated at 15 million euro by transfermarkt.com. It’s possible that UD Las Palmas could let him go for a cheaper rate than that because his contract expires soon.
His pass completion percentage is a respectable 78.7%, and it could get higher playing in the Barcelona system. He allowed 41 goals this season from an expected 44.6. That is indeed very good, although of course it’s not the same playing for a lower table team compared to an UEFA Champions League team like Barcelona.
So, should Barcelona look at these four goalkeepers, or someone else in the transfer market this summer? And if so, what kind of role would they have in the team? I turn the question to you in the comment section.
