Football Manager 23 Best Goalkeepers
Profiles on some of the best goalkeepers you can sign on your FM23 saves
We cover youth football and we love Football Manager. We’ve combined both to compile a list of the young goalkeepers that you should start scouting on your Football Manager 23 saves. These aren’t necessarily “best” but they’re interesting prospects for clubs across the spectrum of football.
They’re players that we like in real-life that look good in FM23. For more, check out our extensive talent lists and in-depth player profiles. Scroll down to see our profiles, or click below for more.
What roles can goalkeepers play in Football Manager 23?
There are just two Goalkeeper roles in FM23: Sweeper Keeper and Goalkeeper.
The Goalkeeper role is exactly what it says on the box; their role is to stay in their penalty area, largely on their goal line, with their sole focus being on shot-stopping and claiming crosses, while playing simple balls out when they receive possession.
The Sweeper Keeper role is much more expansive. They will look to fulfil the role of the Goalkeeper, but also look to be much more aggressive as a distributor, while also playing close attention to the space in front of him, looking to cut out balls in behind the defence. The Sweeper Keeper role can be played on Defend, Support or Attack duty, with each varying the amount of risk and the aggressiveness your Sweeper Keeper will play with.
THE BEST YOUNG TALENTS IN FOOTBALL
What attributes are important for goalkeepers in Football Manager 23?
Goalkeepers require all the basic technical attributes for the role: one on ones, reflexes, throwing, kicking, handling, aerial reach, communication, and command of his area. Other than that, there are only a few other key areas: agility, decision-making, positioning, concentration and anticipation.
Sweeper Keepers will need an extra layer on top of these: composure, first touch, passing, a high rushing out tendency, vision and acceleration.
Anatoliy Trubin
- Positions: GK
- Club: Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
- Country: Ukraine
At 21 years old, Anatoliy Trubin has been the starting goalkeeper for Shakhtar Donetsk for a couple of years now. Injuries have hindered him somewhat, but he’s assumed a significant role for one of Ukraine’s powerhouses. He’s yet to break into the national side, but he represents the future of the goalkeeping position for the country.
Stood at almost 2 metres tall, one of Trubin’s best skills is his ability to claim high balls – his 16 and 18 ratings for Aerial Reach and Jumping Reach are representative of that in FM23. He’s a generally solid goalkeeper in most aspects and a decent ball-player for his size too.
He will probably cost somewhere between €25-35 million, which is a bit of a stretch, but give it a year or two and Trubin could be one of the best young goalkeepers on your save.
Giorgi Mamardashvili
- Positions: GK
- Club: Valencia (ESP)
- Country: Georgia
Giorgi Mamardashvili was one of the must-sign players on FM22. The structure of his transfer to Valencia – a loan with option to buy – made him extremely attainable when the Spanish club, more often than not, allowed him to return to Georgia.
That has changed in FM23. Mamardashvili was quickly signed on a permanent basis by Valencia in real life, and he’s since established himself as the number one for one of the youngest teams anywhere in European football.
What hasn’t changed is his status as one of the best young goalkeepers in the game. Furthermore, the €28.5 million release clause in his Valencia contract makes him more attainable than you would initially presume. An impressive all-rounder, he represents good value at that price point.
Marco Carnesecchi
- Positions: GK
- Club: Cremonese (on loan from Atalanta) (ITA)
- Country: Italy
Marco Carnesecchi is one of those young goalkeepers that just rack up caps at youth international level for their country. He’s played 45 times in all for Italy’s underage sides, and he’s also played quite a lot at senior level for a couple of clubs.
Signed by Atalanta from Cesena, he spent a year with the Primavera team before being sent out on loan – first to Trapani, then to Cremonese. He helped the latter gain promotion to Serie A this season and is now expected to play regular for them in the top tier of Italian football.
He is a promising goalkeeper in FM23. Not much of a ball-player, he’s a more classical goalkeeper in many regards – a typically Italian one, if you will. Equipped with solid size, reflexes, a commanding presence and alert positional sense, he has few flaws to his skillset.
THE BEST YOUNG TALENTS IN FOOTBALL
Gavin Bazunu
- Positions: GK
- Club: Southampton (ENG)
- Country: Republic of Ireland
Signed from Manchester City in the summer, Gavin Bazunu has been entrusted with a big role at Southampton. They invested a big fee to get him in, providing him his first crack at the Premier League at the relatively young age of 20. He does so with a strong platform in senior football following a couple of seasons on loan in League One at Rochdale and Portsmouth.
The former Shamrock Rovers ‘keeper is now a starter for the Republic of Ireland as well. His 16 ratings for Handling and Reflexes makes him a very capable shot-stopper from the off, while he also stacks up pretty well as a ball-player.
It will be practically impossible to sign him from Southampton in the first summer of FM23, but keep track of him as he continues to develop in the Premier League. If you’re a European-level club, Bazunu will be one of the best goalkeepers to prioritise.
Illan Meslier
- Positions: GK
- Club: Leeds United (ENG)
- Country: France
Illan Meslier has been a Premier League starter for three seasons now. He’s had his ups and downs, but nothing seems to phase him and his skillset – good at claiming high balls, a decent shot-stopper, skilled distribution and unerringly confident – fits in at the highest level.
In FM23, Meslier is a very good young goalkeeper. Ratings of 17 for Aerial Reach and 16 for One-on-Ones and Reflexes are a really solid platform. His height – standing at 1.96 metres – is a big advantage as well.
Along with Brighton’s Robert Sánchez, Meslier is one of the standout optionsfor when the top-six clubs seek to replace their incumbents. Given that he is a regular for Leeds United, it will be difficult to get him away from Elland Road. It will probably need quite a big fee, but the skillset has a strong chance of being worth it.
Ersin Destanoğlu
- Positions: GK
- Club: Beşiktaş (TUR)
- Country: Turkey
Turkey have a promising generation of young goalkeepers coming through. Fenerbahçe’s Altay Bayındır is a member of it, and so to is Beşiktaş’ Ersin Destanoğlu. Born on the very first day of the 21st century, he’s been a starter for the huge Istanbul club for a couple of seasons now.
Valued at a top level of €8 million, it won’t take much to sign him at all from the start. He’s much more of a traditional than modern goalkeeper, too, so keep that in mind. If you want to play out from the back, Destanoğlu probably isn’t the goalkeeper for your team.
Alisson is one of the best, as is Manuel Neuer, Jan Oblak, Marc-André Ter Stegen and Ederson.
Giorgio Donnarumma is, the PSG and Italy goalkeeper. After that, there’s a fairly strong core of emerging goalkeepers like Giorgi Mamardashvili and Anatoliy Trubin.
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