NCAA Men's Goalkeeper Rankings (Fall 2021)

photo from UCONN

Seniors

1. Nico Campuzano (Pittsburgh, Spain)
2. Jahmali Waite (Connecticut)
3. Neil Strauber (Florida Atlantic, Israel)
4. Oliver Semmle (Marshall, Germany)
5. Drew Romig (Belmont)
6. Carson Williams (Villanova)
7. Giannis Nikopolidis (Georgetown, Greece)
8. Andreu Cases Mundet (Santa Clara, Spain)
9. Justin Garces (UCLA)
10. Stefan Schmidt (Rhode Island, Germany)
11. Dominic Peters (San Diego)
12. George Marks (Clemson)
13. Leon Krapf (NC State, Germany)
14. Alec Smir (North Carolina)
15. Chase Vosvick (Loyola Maryland)
16. Dane Jacomen (Penn)
17. Ethan Koehler (Georgetown)
18. Noah Lawrence (Ohio State)
19. Rimi Olatunji (Providence, Canada)
20. Jamison Yoder (Green Bay)

One to Watch: Drew Romig. It’s not often that a collegiate senior is graduating with only 27 games to his name but with the logjam in UNC’s goalkeeping department, the former Tar Heel tried his hand at the transfer portal for a fresh start. With just one season at Belmont, Romig was a big part of why his new school set season records in wins (13) and shutouts (9). Romig gives off heavy Tim Melia vibes in goals: a delicate balance of readiness and chaotic impatience. He’ll opt to insert himself in a play instead of holding back but the lack of minutes haven’t let him smooth out his game yet. It’s a difficult style to play (just ask Melia how long it took an MLS to trust him with the keys to the car) but if a professional outfit can help him get traction, we could see quite the comeback story for a goalkeeper that was long counted out yet managed to salvage a career at the eleventh hour.

Juniors

1. Roman Celentano (Indiana)
2. Jassem Koleilat (New Hampshire, United Arab Emirates)
3. Luka Gavran (St. John's, Canada)
4. Adrian Fernandez (Oregon State, Spain)
5. Kris Shakes (Penn State)
6. Elian Haddock (Yale)
7. Michael Collodi (Columbia)
8. Holden Trent (High Point)
9. Jacob Jackson (Loyola Marymount)
10. Gunther Rankenburg (Georgia State)

One to Watch: Roman Celentano. If you’re reading this, you’ve most likely seen Celentano’s quad save from last month. Celentano impressed coaches during his time at Indiana to the point that both he and sophomore goalkeeper Patrick Schulte were invited to the MLS combine. Celentano is reminiscent of early MLS goalkeepers in how he uses his size to shut down chances on goal and makes the position look surprisingly simple at times. Strikers at the next level will undoubtedly look to offer more nuanced questions and how Celentano answers those questions will be interesting to track. As Celentano’s stock is at an all-time high, keep an eye on the Illinois native to possibly be donning a professional kit sooner than later.

Sophomores

1. Patrick Schulte (St. Louis)
2. Edu Rodriguez (Campbell, Spain)
3. Sam Fowler (Washington)
4. Jacob Castro (San Diego State)
5. Bryan Dowd (Notre Dame)
6. John Harms (Duke)
7. Holden Brown (Virginia)
8. James Lowell (Maryland)
9. Lucas Morefield (IUPUI)
10. Kashope Oladapo (St. Mary's)

One to Watch: Lucas Morefield. Standing at 5’11”, Morefield is praying upon the spirits of Nick Rimando and Jon Busch to have a chance at the next level. IUPUI finished 3-12-1 this fall yet Morefield kept opposing offenses under two goals in a total of ten matches, relying heavily on his impressive reflexes and mobility in the box. Naturally Morefield has an uphill climb moving forward but if the sophomore Jaguar can prove that the lack of height and prestige hasn’t stopped him from developing an effective style, don’t be surprised to see a pro side gamble on him down the line.

Freshmen

1. Nathanael Sallah (Omaha, Germany)
2. Ben Martino (Virginia Tech)
3. Hayden Evans (Michigan)
4. Eoin Gawronski (Temple)
5. Trace Alphin (Wake Forest)
6. Jonathan Kliewer (Detroit)
7. Blake Franzen (Liberty, South Africa)
8. Luca Ulrich (Georgetown)
9. Charles Janssen (UC Davis)
10. Gavin Krenecki (Louisville)

One to Watch: Nathanael Sallah. While many aren’t looking in Nebraska for the top goalkeepers in college soccer, the 6’3” German would certainly be on more radars if he held a US passport. Sallah’s quick tendency to resort to a kicksave and his poor handling will certainly annoy many American coaches but there’s no denying his ability to cover the goalmouth with ease. Sallah has heavy “boom or bust” energy as he can make some big time saves while inversely complicate rather simple situations. If Sallah can clean up some of the simpler parts of his game, he could make a natural transition into the pro game in the US after college. If not, expect to see Sallah struggle to catch on stateside after Omaha.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings

2020: Preseason and Final
2019: Preseason and Final
2018: Preseason and Final
2017: Preseason and Final
2016: Preseason and Final
2015: Preseason and Final
2014: Final

NCAA Women's Goalkeeper Rankings (Fall 2021)

Seniors

1. Hillary Beall (Michigan)
2. Bridgette Skiba (Oregon State)
3. Claudia Dickey (North Carolina)
4. Hensley Hancuff (Clemson)
5. Marisa Bova (Purdue)
6. Laurel Ivory (Virginia)
7. Lysianne Proulx (Syracuse, Canada)
8. Jordyn Bloomer (Wisconsin)
9. Mackenzie Wood (Northwestern)
10. Anna Smith (USC)
11. Jennifer Wandt (Baylor)
12. Ashley Orkus (Mississippi)
13. Kayla Thompson (Brown)
14. Emory Wegener (Georgia)
15. Mattison Interian (Notre Dame)
16. Lauren Brzykcy (UCLA)
17. Meagan McClelland (Rutgers)
18. Gabrielle Kouzelos (Louisville)
19. Megan McClure (Arkansas State)
20. Savannah Madden (Texas)

One to Watch: Marisa Bova. The 6’2” Boilermaker certainly checks a lot of boxes pro scouts are looking for: height, athleticism, handling, and box management. Bova isn’t afraid to put herself into the mix on corners or put her body on the line to make a game-changing save. As she preps herself for the next level, her success in the pro game will likely be tied to her ability to clean up situations close to goal. Although she’s found success using her power to cover the entire goal on shots from distance, she’ll need to pick up some nuance for when the game gets “small”. Whether on breakaways or just close-to-mid ranged shots, top strikers won’t hesitate to punish a misstep from a goalkeeper.

Juniors

1. Ruthie Jones (Duke)
2. Angelina Anderson (California)
3. Kayza Massey (West Virginia, Canada)
4. Heather Hinz (South Carolina)
5. Katie Meyer (Stanford)
6. Jordan Silkowitz (Iowa State)
7. Katherine Asman (Penn State)
8. Amanda Delgado (Cal State Northridge)
9. Cayla White (Virginia)
10. Joella Chase (Georgetown)

One to Watch: Jordan Silkowitz. Although all eyes are on the top half of the list, Silkowitz has quietly helped bolster the state of Iowa into a goalkeeping hotspot. Silkowitz’s approach is one of meticulous design: efficiently moving and positioning herself like a professional. Although there are more athletic goalkeepers in her class, Silkowitz is able to cover the same - if not more - ground by smart footwork and not just solely relying on explosiveness. Silkowitz conceded a few soft goals on sharp angels this year but her progress until this point is incredibly apparent. As she heads into her senior year, look for her to continue to make Ohio State regret letting her transfer and put herself into the conversation as a potential prospect for the 2023 NWSL draft.

Sophomores

1. Macy Enneking (Iowa)
2. Cristina Roque (Florida State, Puerto Rico)
3. Emily Puricelli (Saint Louis)
4. Leah Freeman (Oregon)
5. Tatum Sutherland (SMU)
6. Hailey Coll (Oregon State)
7. Maddie Prohaska (Auburn)
8. Saskia Wagner (Little Rock, Germany)
9. Ashley Naylor (Notre Dame)
10. Lauren Kellett (TCU)

One to Watch: Leah Freeman. Freeman is almost the polar opposite of Jordan Silkowitz (see above). The recently called up U20 youth national team goalkeeper looks to utilize her athleticism whenever possible. Possessing an impressive spring and unlimited storage of bravery, the sophomore goalkeeper has pulled back a number of goals in just her second year as a starter at Oregon. Joined by Nadia Cooper and Mia Justus at the U20 camp, Freeman is tabbed as a favorite within the USYNT structure but could do well to learn from Silkowitz’s efficiency in maximizing movement in the box. As shots arrive on frame in tenths of a second, Freeman needs to add more tools in her toolbox than just pure athleticism to fully tap into her potential.

Freshmen

1. Mia Justus (Florida State)
2. Maria Echezarreta (NC State, Spain)
3. Nadia Cooper (Washington State)
4. Wiebke Willebrandt (Boston College, Germany)
5. Maya Bellomo (Yale)
6. Laura Nielsen (Kentucky, Denmark)
7. CJ Graham (Lipscomb)
8. Madison Goldberg (Oregon)
9. Bella Grust (Colorado)
10. Annabelle Adams (Saint Peter's)

Ones to Watch: Mia Justus / Cristina Roque. “Too much of a good thing” might be Florida State’s mantra over these next couple of years. The Seminoles have two top goalkeepers in Justus and sophomore Cristina Roque. Although Roque picked up about two-thirds of the minutes this fall, Florida State knows they have a U20 USYNT goalkeeper in their core that they can’t just let rot away on the bench. As Florida State continues to plan more trips to the Final Four, look to see how they balance the two young goalkeepers’ minutes.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings

2020: Preseason and Final
2019: Preseason and Final
2018: Preseason and Final
2017: Preseason and Final
2016: Preseason and Final
2015: Preseason and Final

Ten Countries Dominating Goalkeeper Development

cover photo belongs to Victor Salgado

Many countries lay claim to producing the top goalkeepers in the world but there can only be one! This in-depth dive surveys the top ten countries with the best U24 goalkeeping cores. Although some may wish to include older goalkeepers when discussing a country’s ability to develop goalkeepers, top nations should be consistently producing multiple goalkeepers at each age group, not just one every few years. So the age maximum was set to highlight the most recent level of goalkeeping in a country.

Additionally, quantity is key here as we want to know which country is producing the most goalkeepers ready for a high level of play and not just getting lucky with finding one or two prospects. For example, Arsenal’s Karl Jakob Hein already has twelve caps for Estonia at age nineteen and although he is a promising prospect for the Gunners - and one of the top U20 goalkeepers in the world - it’s not really fair to say Estonia is producing multiple goalkeepers anywhere near Hein’s level. So each country is ranked on their quality and quantity for their young goalkeepers. Lastly, each country’s style of play is briefly discussed to give the reader an idea of how each nation’s goalkeeping identity will typically play out on the field.

1. Spain

Spain’s goalkeepers are often praised for their distribution skills and, while rightly so, the unique problems Spanish goalkeepers face require an extensive toolkit to face a vast array of situations. As Spanish defenders will often join attacks, it’s not uncommon to see number-even counter-attacks that goalkeepers must solve on the fly. To combat this, Spain’s goalkeepers are agile, explosive, and excellent at taking and giving space to the attack. Even when it comes to cross management - which Spanish goalkeepers are not typically heavily involved in when compared across Europe - their approach is centered around seamlessly transitioning into counter-attack play, not just limited to collecting a cross. As offenses become more complex in their attacks, Spain has kept up step-for-step in preparing their goalkeepers with a layered approach to help their teams offensively and defensively.

Depth Chart

Arnau Tenas - Barcelona (20)
Iñaki Peña - Barcelona (22)
Álvaro Fernández - SD Huesca (23)
Julen Agirrezabala - Athletic Bilbao (20)
Cristian Rivero - Valencia (23)
Diego Altube - Real Madrid (21)
Dani Martín - Real Betis (23)
Josep Martínez - RB Leipzig (23)
Iván Martínez - CA Osasuna (19)

2. Italy

Getty Images

Naturally, Donnarumma is on track to be the face of Italian goalkeeping for the next decade but that’s not to say Italy is putting all their eggs in one basket. Italian goalkeepers have a clear blueprint that’s built off of patiently waiting to strike. If Spanish goalkeepers are sharks in the water, constantly making quick adjustments to counter an attack, Italian goalkeepers are alligators. There is little excessive movement as they will typically opt to sit back, taunting the striker that they cannot score. That’s not to say Italian goalkeepers never step forward but they are willing to trust their historically reliable defenders in front of them, defending the goal as a unit and not one individual. The next generation of Italian goalkeepers are staying true to Dino Zoff’s and Gigi Buffon’s success: patience, calculation, and decisiveness are the pillars of Italy’s goalkeeping prospects.

Depth Chart

Gianluigi Donnarumma - PSG (22)
Marco Carnesecchi - Atalanta (21)
Marco Pissardo - Lecco (23)
Alessandro Plizzari - AC Milan (21)
Stefano Turati - Sassuolo (20)
Lorenzo Avogadri - Atalanta (20)
Elia Caprile - Leeds United (20)
Leandro Pratelli - FC Empoli (18)

3. Germany

As Germany enters the twilight era of Manuel Neuer’s reign with the national team, the next generation of goalkeepers have yet to spark the same excitement that Neuer has given for the past fifteen years. Although young German goalkeepers are certainly talented, the dropoff from the legendary sweeper-keeper may be jarring for some. Young German goalkeepers aren’t quite as aggressive as Neuer and, like many other European goalkeepers, are opting for a deeper line yet still take forward ground in a methodical fashion. As Spanish goalkeepers employ more fluidness to bridge to their final execution, German goalkeepers try to utilize sharp micromovements as a foundation. It’s a calculated approach that leans more on power and speed instead of comfort and feel. Similar to the polarizing pre-shot arm swing that many Germans use, when it works, it works and when it doesn’t… get ready for the critics. Although there will certainly be a drop-off after Neuer, German goalkeepers are still consistently producing at a high level. However, the next wave of goalkeepers may be more akin to ter Stegen than Neuer.

Depth Chart

Lennart Grill - Bayer Leverkusen (22)
Finn Dahmen - Mainz 05 (23)
Ron-Thorben Hoffmann - Bayern Munich (22)
Markus Schubert - Vitesse (23)
Luca Unbehaun - Dortmund (20)
Christian Früchtl - Bayern Munich (21)
Nico Mantl - RB Salzburg (21)
Eric Gründemann - VfB Lübeck (23)

4. France

French goalkeeping is at an interesting stage. Optimistically, one could argue France allows their goalkeepers to find their individualized and appropriate style while, pessimistically, one could criticize French goalkeeping for not having an established blueprint. In Ligue 1, French goalkeepers face a blend of La Liga and EPL mix-matched attacks. French offenses share the fluidness of Spanish strikers and the ruthless pace of English attacks to combine to put an immense amount of stress on defenses. French goalkeepers possess a certain amount of chaos creation that can either successfully disrupt attacks or hand over soft goals. But is the variety in goalkeeping a part of the plan or is it just a result of combating quality football? Outside looking in, it’s hard to cite appropriate credit, especially considering how Meslier and Zidane are in England and Spain, respectively. Regardless, if one were to remove Meslier from the player pool, French fans would not be as confident with the position’s future after Lloris. The depth isn’t poor, per se, but the “shoot from the hip” approach by many French goalkeepers can unsettle fans and managers alike.

Depth Chart

Illan Meslier - Leeds United (21)
Luca Zidane - Rayo Vallecano (23)
Dimitry Bertaud - Montpellier (23)
Lucas Chevalier - Lille (20)
Yehvann Diouf - Stade Reims (22)
Stefan Bajic - Saint-Étienne (19)
Alban Lafont - FC Nantes (22)
Kévin Ousmane - Lyon (19)

5. Netherlands

Picture from LiverpoolCore.com

It may not come as a surprise that Ajax’s approach to football has bled over to their goalkeeping. Dutch goalkeepers often infuse a certain element of risk-reward assessment, gambling on inserting themselves over patience. Although it varies from goalkeeper to goalkeeper, there is a unique level of activeness that Dutch goalkeepers possess. They’re daring yet calculating in how they prevent attacks. More than most countries, the Netherlands encourage sweeper keepers even though they know mistakes will be made by their young goalkeepers. Watching Dutch goalkeepers defend attacks from the flanks can be similar to opening a box of chocolates: sometimes they bide their time but they’re also given a green light to venture forward to prevent a chance of a shot. Although many think of offensive responsibilities when goalkeepers are talked about being another outfield player, the Dutch are quick to distribute creative defensive solutions to their goalkeepers as well.

Depth Chart

Justin Bijlow - Feyenoord (23)
Kjell Scherpen - Brighton (21)
Calvin Raatsie - Ajax (19)
Bart Verbruggen - Anderlecht (19)
Maarten Paes - FC Utrecht (23)
Jay Gorter - Ajax (21)
Aron van Lare - PSV (18)
Mees Bakker - AZ (20)

6. England

It’s been a long time since the English have had a claim to sporting one of the best goalkeepers in the world but that doesn’t stop fans from clamoring for one. English goalkeepers typically are fundamentally sound, focusing on smart mechanics and maximizing their power when breaking out into a dive. English attacks have a certain smashmouth aspect to them in both their pace and power when barreling toward goal. To combat this, English goalkeepers will find comfort in sitting back and letting their defense do their job, similar to Italian goalkeepers. However, that’s not to say they won’t dive head-first into a crowd if the moment calls for it. If a chance on goal can’t be solved through bravery (think breakaways and cross management), watch for England’s young goalkeepers to rely on sound mechanics and percentages over anything. Ramsdale and company will often force shooters to pull off a great shot in order to be beaten, instead of risking a soft goal from overthinking the play.

Depth Chart

Aaron Ramsdale - Arsenal (23)
Alfie Whiteman - Tottenham (23)
Ellery Balcombe - Brentford (22)
Nathan Bishop - Manchester United (22)
Josef Bursik - Stoke City (21)
Etienne Green - Saint-Étienne (21)
Carl Rushworth - Brighton (20)

7. Brazil

The difference between Brazil’s and Germany’s goalkeeping is akin to long brush strokes vs. short brush strokes. Brazilian goalkeepers have a rhythm to their game that’s visually attractive but it can become easy to get wrong-footed if the goalkeeper isn’t thinking ahead. Longer and larger steps mean fewer opportunities to correct oneself, putting the onus on a Brazilian goalkeeper to consider all of the attack’s options when making a decision themselves. Similar to French goalkeepers who leave a larger room for improving, Brazilians will “shoot from the hip” a fair amount, although there is more consistency in how that looks within the pool. With Alisson and Ederson opening doors overseas, the ceiling for Brazilian goalkeepers is open to debate: will the country’s goalkeeper development continue the momentum from the EPL goalkeepers or will it take a similar route to the US in the post-Friedel/Keller/Howard era?

Depth Chart

Lucas Perri - São Paulo (23)
Gabriel Brazão - Inter (21)
Gabriel Chapecó - Gremio (21)
Luiz Júnior - Famalicão (20)
Brenno - Gremio (22)
Hugo Souza - Flamengo (22)
Álex Dos Santos - CD Toledo (22)

8. Russia

Speaking on the US, Russia’s style of goalkeeping should feel somewhat familiar for any USMNT fan. Their goalkeepers are built with power and simplicity, while leaving a little room to improv when need be. However, if there’s one critique of Russian goalkeeping, it’s that they can be a little overly reliant on aggression. If the game can be solved with a brave save, Russian goalkeepers excel mightily, but times for patience aren’t their forte as they can become restless with too much time on a play.

Russian goalkeeping has had a number of high points over the years, most recently with Igor Akinfeev’s heroics in the 2018 World Cup and, of course, Lev Yashin’s name carries a lot of weight in this world. However, Russian goalkeepers have been slow to leave Russia’s domestic leagues, which ranks 15th in UEFA coefficient league ratings. The young Russian prospects have the tools to fight at a higher level and embrace more nuance in their game, it’s just a question if they’ll get the chance to.

Depth Chart

Matvey Safonov - Krasnodar (22)
Ivan Lomaev - KS Samara (22)
Stanislav Agkatsev - Krasnodar (19)
Aleksandr Maksimenko - Spartak Moscow (23)
Daniil Odoevskiy - Zenit St. Petersburg (18)
David Sangaré - Dynamo Moscow (21)

9. Turkey

For the younger readers, Turkish goalkeepers can be best summed up as “chaotic neutral”. As football continues to become more complex and detailed, Turkey’s goalkeepers have bucked every trend and have turned inward to solve chances on goal, playing by feel and not a textbook answer. On one hand, an atypical approach is easy to criticize and difficult to teach, develop, or even make improvements on. On the other hand, there’s a reason why Turkish clubs have encouraged their goalkeepers to play more by feel than by blueprint: it often finds success in a game that is constantly asking unique questions for goalkeepers to solve. It’s an unorthodox style that can succeed in a middling European league (ranked 24th in UEFA coefficients) but it’s difficult to predict if it can work at a higher league. Considering how unique the likes of Peter Schmeichel and Iker Casillas were, an atypical approach may work in the right environment, if given the right backing.

Depth Chart

Altay Bayindir - Fenerbahce (23)
Berke Özer - Fenerbahce (21)
Ersin Destanoglu - Besiktas (20)
Canberk Yurdakul - Bursaspor (20)
Irfan Can Egribayat - Göztepe (23)
Dogan Alemdar - Stade Rennais (19)

10. Poland

Although there are a number of other countries on the rise with their goalkeeping (Romania, Croatia, Ireland, and Serbia, just to name a few), Poland grabs the last spot due to their steadiness and prestige. Building off the foundation of West Ham’s Łukasz Fabiański and Juventus’ Wojciech Szczęsny, it’s not a surprise to see the standard rollover to young Polish goalkeepers. With Polish YNT goalkeepers Majecki and Bułka making some waves for themselves in France’s Ligue 1, Poland is quietly on track to produce even more underrated goalkeepers in Europe’s top leagues. Unlike Turkey’s approach, Poland favors consistent, reliable play that’s been established for decades. Don’t look for a young Polish goalkeeper to break any transfer fees in the near future but when a club is looking for a steady number one down the line, Poland may be their first and last destination.

Depth Chart

Krzysztof Bakowski - Lech Poznan (18)
Radoslaw Majecki - Monaco (22)
Marcin Bułka - PSG (22)
Kamil Grabara - FC Copenhagen (22)
Karol Niemczycki - Cracovia (22)

Scouting Potential Foreign Goalkeepers for MLS (Fall 2021)

cover photo belongs to Felipe Oliveira / EC Bahia

Following the previous summer report on potential signings for MLS, Everybody Soccer returns with another scouting report on possible foreign goalkeepers for MLS teams. The US’s top league has finally started to explore more avenues when it comes to buying and selling players, both domestic and foreign.

Eligible goalkeepers were limited to (1) being over 21 years old, (2) listed as having less than a $1,000,000 market value by Transfermarkt, and (3) ones that would have the highest possibility of being re-sold by an MLS team. Additionally, certain eligible goalkeepers were removed from inclusion, as moving to MLS didn’t make feasible sense for the stage they’re currently at in their career.

Matheus Teixeira - EC Bahia (22)

Photo: Felipe Oliveira/EC Bahia

Nationality: Brazil

Transfermarkt Listing: $550,000

MLS equivalent: Josh Cohen

After notching only three shutouts in 17 matches this season, EC Bahia pulled the plug on the young Brazilian in goal, opting for more experience in net. Teixeira picked up a couple of cup matches with the Brazilian club thereafter and, despite the depth chart shuffling, still ended up with 29 matches over the last 9 months. Teixeira doesn’t carry the same prestige as some other notable Brazilian goalkeepers in Europe but don’t mistake him for not having talent. The young keeper performed well in his first season as a starter at a first division club, especially considering how many shots his defense conceded. Teixeira has a bit of chaotic energy but he bottles it well until the time is right, displaying a good sense of patience vs. aggressiveness. Teixeira would do well with more playing time, not less, and MLS might be an appropriate home down the line. (Highlights)

Stefan Drljaca - Dortmund (22)

Nationality: Serbia

Transfermarkt Listing: $275,000

MLS equivalent: Steve Clark

Unless Dortmund is looking to commit to a longer developmental track, the 22-year-old Serbian goalkeeper is most likely ending his time with Dortmund soon. Drljaca originally joined Dortmund for free back in the summer of 2020 but his playing time with BVB has been limited since his arrival. Similar to Steve Clark, Drljaca has a knack for making non-textbook saves but saves nonetheless. If Drljaca is winding down at Dortmund, which TM says his contract extends to this upcoming summer, MLS could be a suitable next step. (Highlights)

Vasilios Athanasiou - PAS Giannina (22)

Nationality: Greece

Transfermarkt Listing: $55,000

MLS equivalent: Stefan Cleveland

The former U19 Greek YTN goalkeeper hasn’t had much to do since leaving Italy for PAS Giannina, picking up only a handful of matches over the past couple of years. Athanasiou has a smooth fluidness to him that aids his ability to cover the entire goal mouth but he needs opportunities to prove his worth. Athanasiou is at a point where he could utilize more minutes and with his track record of trying his hand in another country, a possible loan-turned-transfer deal might be a viable option. As listed by TM, Athanasiou’s contract runs up in two summers. For a backup goalkeeper with no clear path forward in the club, MLS could be a welcomed destination for the young goalkeeper.

Catalin Cabuz - AFC Chindia Targoviste (25)

Nationality: Romania

Transfermarkt Listing: $440,000

MLS equivalent: Matt Reis

Although Cabuz just signed with Romanian club AFC Chindia Targoviste, it was on a free transfer and reportedly only through summer 2023. For a talented goalkeeper who doesn’t have interest outside his domestic league and posssses little traction with the national team, Cabuz might try his hand at a more competitive league. The former U21 Romanian goalkeeper is a little undersized - standing at just 6’0” - but plays the position like a typical undersized goalkeeper: quick and mobile. As MLS has hosted a number of shorter goalkeepers with successful careers (Reis, Rimando, Busch), Cabuz and MLS could be a good fit, if Chindia is willing to let him go for a reasonable price.

Nils-Jonathan Körber - Hertha BSC (25)

Nationality: Germany

Transfermarkt Listing: $385,000

MLS equivalent: Brad Stuver

The 25-year-old goalkeeper is reportedly in the twilight of his contract with Hertha BSC and rumored to be leaving the club at the end of the season. Realistically, his next jump will likely be two a second or third division club in Germany. However, considering that an MLS team could pick him up for a low cost, if not outright free, the former German U21 goalkeeper could compete for a starting spot sooner than later here in the US. The lanky goalkeeper checks a lot of boxes, although his lack of playing time will make it difficult for teams to buy in on the German.