21 Best Arsenal Goalkeepers Of The Premier League Era (Ranked)

Arsenal are one of the most successful teams in English football and a key factor behind the Gunners’ success has been their goalkeeper. The fascinating story of Arsenal’s fortunes in the Premier League era cannot be told without appreciating the individuals who’ve been entrusted with one of the game’s most specialized and crucial roles in between the sticks.

From acrobatic saves to commanding the defensive line, the men between the posts have been instrumental in Arsenal’s glory days, helping the club secure league titles, domestic cups, and regular European qualification. They have become icons in their own right, with individual brilliance often turning the tide in crucial matches.

This article delves into the illustrious history of Arsenal’s goalkeepers, shining a spotlight on the very best of the Premier League era, putting the top 11 into a ranked list.

Ranking factors

• Games played
  – how many games each goalkeeper playing during their Arsenal career.
• Trophies won
  – how successful each player was for the Gunners.
• Memorable moments
  – how crucial each shot-stopper was during the most significant points in matches.

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11 Emiliano Martinez

In his short stint as Arsenal’s first-choice keeper, Emiliano Martinez made an impact that won’t be easily forgotten. After patiently waiting for his chance, Martinez grabbed the opportunity with both hands during the 2019/20 season and his presence and ability to pull off crucial saves helped Arsenal win the FA Cup.

With just 15 Premier League appearances under his belt in eight years at the Emirates Stadium, Martinez’s Arsenal story is one of perseverance and triumph for a near-forgotten man who became a beloved figure almost overnight during his time at the club. His form earned him a move to Aston Villa in the summer of 2020, and in less than three years’ time, the shotstopper was playing a crucial role in Argentina lifting their first World Cup in 36 years.

10 Lukasz Fabianski

During his seven-year stay at Arsenal, Lukasz Fabianski largely served as a backup option between the sticks. While he has gone on to prove himself as a fine goalkeeper at Swansea City and West Ham since leaving the club, he was hardly a figure of consistency when called upon for the Gunners.

Indeed, nerves seemed to be a real issue for the Poland international, but he still made 78 appearances across all competitions for the club. What’s more, he also started in the FA Cup final win over Hull City in 2014. Fabianski’s true quality only shone towards the end of his Arsenal career, and even more so after he moved on – meaning he can’t rank any higher on this list.

9 David Ospina

David Ospina’s tenure at Arsenal saw him feature prominently in domestic and European competitions, although it’s probably fair to say he never quite fully earned the trust of his fans. This is reflected in the fact that he played 18 Premier League matches in his debut campaign in 2014/15 but only managed 11 more league appearances in the next three seasons combined, having been ousted out following the arrival of Petr Cech in the summer of 2015.

Ospina left the club with 70 appearances to his name and his agility and excellent shot-stopping abilities did help Arsenal secure some critical victories. He is most fondly remembered for his part played in the Gunners’ 2017 FA Cup triumph, starting four of their six matches, including the final, in which Arsene Wenger’s side defeated Chelsea. However, like Fabianski, the Colombian would have more of an impact at other clubs.

8 John Lukic

John Lukic enjoyed two spells with the Gunners, with his first and more successful one coming before the induction of the Premier League. He made 277 appearances in seven years at Highbury, and played every match of the 1988/89 season which culminated in Arsenal famously winning the league title at Anfield.

Lukic was ultimately replaced by Seaman the following year, but returned to the club as a back-up in 1996 and played 18 league games over the course of five more years in North London. He is undoubtedly still a popular figure among Arsenal supporters and would certainly have ranked even higher on the list if his first spell with the club had happened during the Premier League era.

7 Bernd Leno

Bernd Leno’s arrival at Arsenal marked the beginning of a new era in goalkeeping for the club. Leno quickly established himself as one of the Premier League’s elite shot-stoppers, making well over 100 appearances for Arsenal before he was rather abruptly replaced by Aaron Ramsdale in the summer of 2021.

Mikel Arteta was quickly assembling a squad he deemed worthy of challenging for titles and Leno was one of the victims of the Spaniard’s ambitions, despite having hardly put a foot wrong during his three years at the Emirates to that point. The German spent a season sitting on the bench before joining Fulham and immediately becoming one of their better players and undisputed first-choice in goal.

6 Aaron Ramsdale

The signing of Aaron Ramsdale to replace Leno raised plenty of eyebrows, especially as the goalie had been relegated with both Sheffield United and Bournemouth in the two previous seasons. However, he quickly proved his value to the club with his expert distribution, quality on the ball and ability to pull off spectacular reflex saves, and was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the 2022/23 season.

However, that summer, just like Leno before him, Ramsdale was replaced due to concerns over his concentration on the pitch. David Raya was brought in from Brentford, initially on loan, and as of March 2024, Ramsdale has made just 11 appearances all season and faces a big task to return to the starting XI of an Arsenal side that is growing stronger and stronger with each campaign.

5 David Raya

Despite not yet having completed a full season at the Emirates Stadium, or even been signed permanently by Mikel Arteta’s side, David Raya has already earned his place among Arsenal’s most elite goalkeepers of the Premier League era. As of mid-March 2024, the Spaniard has made 29 appearances and earned 13 clean sheets in between the sticks for the Gunners, helping to keep the North London outfit well in the title race.

Raya endeared himself further to supporters with two excellent saves in the penalty shoot-out that followed Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Porto across two legs in the Champions League round of 16 in 2024. His denial of Wenderson Galeno from the spot confirmed his side’s passage to the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time since 2010. Arsenal supporters will be hoping manager Mikel Arteta has finally found his no.1 and will opt to make his move from Brentford permanent in the summer.

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4 Petr Cech

Petr Cech’s addition to Arsenal in 2015 marked the arrival of one of the most experienced and celebrated goalkeepers in the world. With 110 appearances for the Gunners, the Czech shotstopper was a reliable presence during his time with the Gunners, even if his best years admittedly came before at Chelsea.

The 2015/16 season was particularly notable for Cech, as he kept 16 clean sheets, showcasing his outstanding ability to organise the defence and make crucial saves. He is considered to be one of the best goalkeepers of the Premier League era but, as mentioned before, most of his achievements came with the Blues before his switch to north London, which counts against him on this list.

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3 Wojciech Szczesny

Wojciech Szczesny’s journey at Arsenal is an inspiring tale that saw a young and promising prospect evolve into a world-class goalkeeper. He quickly rose through the ranks to became Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper aged just 20 and he would go on to make an impressive 181 appearances, showcasing his ability to blend talent, confidence, and flair.

His spectacular saves and willingness to lead made him a fan favourite. Notably, Szczesny won the Premier League Golden Glove during the 2013/14 season, a testament to his quality. However, after the arrival of Cech in the summer of 2015, he opted to leave the club and join Roma on loan, spending two seasons in the Italian capital before completing a permanent transfer to Juventus in 2017.

2 Jens Lehmann

Jens Lehmann’s name is forever linked with one of the most extraordinary achievements in football history: Arsenal’s unbeaten 2003/04 league campaign. With 148 appearances for the club under his belt, the German’s tenure with the Gunners was marked by boldness, command, and an unbreakable will to win, and his fearless approach and crucial saves played a pivotal role in the Invincibles season.

Lehmann’s performances in key matches, such as his heroics in the run to the club’s Champions League final in 2006, added to his iconic status, although he would end up getting sent off in the final as Arsene Wenger’s side fell to a 2-1 defeat against Barcelona. However, this did not dampen his legacy with Arsenal supporters, and he has still gone down as one of the club’s most memorable goalkeepers in modern history.