Fantasy Bundesliga tips: Goalkeepers to consider for the start of the 2024/25 season
With the new Bundesliga season just around the corner, we are ready to give you a helping hand with your Fantasy Bundesliga team.
In the first of a series of articles suggesting players for each position, we take a look at the goalkeepers you should have on your radar when building your squad.
Budget options:
Nediljko Labrovic, Augsburg - 5 million
Labrovic will head into the season as Augsburg's starting goalkeeper with Finn Dahmen currently sidelined. As confirmed by Augsburg coach Jess Thorup, Dahmen is expected to return to team training in two to four weeks. And unless Labrovic makes a negative impression, he should keep his place even after Dahmen's return to full fitness. At 5 million, he's the cheapest first-choice goalkeeper, and Augsburg even have a nice schedule, facing Werder Bremen, Heidenheim, St. Pauli, and Mainz in their first four games.
Florian Müller, Freiburg - 5 million
The only alternative to Labrovic at this price is Florian Müller. Noah Atubolu has yet to return to team training after an appendicitis operation, so Müller should be in goal for Matchday 1 at least. Unlike Augsburg, Freiburg have a really difficult schedule, starting the season with games against Stuttgart and Bayern. They will be underdogs against both teams and will probably concede in both games, but Müller should be able to make plenty of saves.
Mid-range options:
Patrick Drewes, VfL Bochum - 7 million
With Manuel Riemann out of favor at Bochum, Patrick Drewes has emerged as the club's new first-choice goalkeeper, with Timo Horn signed as his back-up. Judging by Bochum's recent DFB-Pokal match, Drewes could really benefit from the new passing rules (H/T @DNLFantasy on X), while also being forced to make plenty of saves every game.
Nikola Vasilj, St. Pauli - 7 million
Goalkeepers from newly-promoted teams can often work well because they're likely to be forced to make a lot of saves. St. Pauli don't have the worst schedule, facing Heidenheim, Union Berlin and Augsburg in their first three games, and conceded the fewest goals in the 2. Bundesliga last season.
Robin Zentner, Mainz - 8 million
Things looked really bleak for Mainz for a long time last season, but Die Nullfünfer managed to bounce back and avoid relegation after Bo Henriksen took over as coach. In fact, they didn't lose any of their last nine Bundesliga games, keeping clean sheets in four of them. If they can continue in this vein, Zentner could prove to be good value for money, although it's questionable whether it's worth paying more to get him rather than one of the cheaper alternatives.
Premium options:
Oliver Baumann, Hoffenheim - 11 million
It's rarely worth breaking the bank for a goalkeeper, and the general rise in prices doesn't make it any easier to find funds for high quality in goal. If you still want to spend big, you could go with Oliver Baumann, who made by far the most saves in the league last season. He also kept three of five penalties out.
Gregor Kobel, Borussia Dortmund - 12 million
Since clean sheets are no longer assessed, it makes more sense to go with Kobel than Neuer if you want one of the 12 million options in goal, as he's more likely to make saves. The Swiss goalkeeper has often made the difference for Dortmund in recent years and had the third highest save percentage last season, behind only Lukas Hradecky and Peter Gulacsi. It's worth noting, however, that he is currently a doubt for the Bundesliga opener, having been taken off at half-time in Dortmund's 4-1 DFB-Pokal win over Phoenix Lübeck. All indications are that he will be fit to face Eintracht, but if not, he will be replaced by Alexander Meyer, who costs 5 million.