Watford goalkeeper, Heurelho, wins 2015/16 Premier League 'Super Saver' award
- Gomes proved to be 82 per cent more cost-effective than the average Premier League goalkeeper
- Premier League keepers made a save, on average, once every 32 minutes at a cost of £33,948 per save
- David de Gea’s new bumper £200,000 per week contract means he cost Manchester United £125,301 per save last season
Heurelho Gomes, the Watford goalkeeper who played a crucial role in the club’s survival in the Premier League and reaching the FA Cup semi-final, has scooped the ‘Scottish Friendly Super Saver Award’, for being the goalkeeper who offered the best value for money in the 2015/16 Premier League season.
With the recent unpredictable season now come to a close and players now preparing for Euro 2016, the award celebrates the skill and cost effectiveness offered by goalkeepers in the 2015/16 Barclays Premier League season.
Gomes came top of the charts having made a save for Watford on average every 27 minutes of game time last season and costing his club just £6,142 per save – 82 per cent cheaper than the going rate for a Premier League goalkeeper.
Overall, Premier League goalkeepers made a save once every 32 minutes, at an average cost of £33,948 a save to their clubs.
Running a close second and third for the award were Stoke City’s Jack Butland and Crystal Palace’s Wayne Hennessey, who cost their clubs £10,097 and £13,000 per save respectively. The full rundown of all Premier League goalkeepers can be found here: http://www.scottishfriendly.co.uk/community/super-saver-cup-with-bob-friendly.
Calum Bennie, investment expert at Scottish Friendly said:
Having Gomes in between the posts this season was an inspired move by the newly promoted Watford at the beginning of the season. His mix of experience and talent has been a way of boosting the club’s finances and the overall performance of the team. Given Gomes’ performances, it’s hardly surprising the fans named him Watford’s player of the season.
It is interesting to see that clubs splash out hundreds of thousands of pounds each week for a goalkeeper, when this might not be the best strategy or make the most sense financially. Gomes’ performance is a win-win situation not only for the fans who got to watch some fantastic performances, but for the club, where he has helped them both Premier League survival and a lucrative FA Cup semi-final.
While no keepers retained their places in the top five from last season, 2013/14’s winner Vito Mannone did manage to come in sixth place despite only playing in 19 of Sunderland’s games. The shot-stopper managed to prove his worth by helping to keep the Black Cats up at the expense of arch-rivals Newcastle United.
Best value goalkeepers in the 2015/16 Premier League season:
| Name | Club | Weekly salary | Mins played | Mins per save | Cost per save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gomes, H | Watford | £15,000 | 3420 | 26.93 | £6,142 |
| Butland, J | Stoke City | £20,000 | 2790 | 27.09 | £10,097 |
| Hennessey, W | Crystal Palace | £20,000 | 2610 | 32.63 | £13,000 |
| Elliot, R | Newcastle United | £15,000 | 1890 | 32.03 | £13,220 |
| Myhill, B | West Brom | £18,500 | 2070 | 30.90 |
Min. 1000 minutes played
Following his protracted contract dispute at the beginning of the season, the goalkeeper who cost his club the most last season was David de Gea of Manchester United, who offered a return on investment of a whopping £125,301 per save. De Gea was closely followed by cross-town rival Joe Hart, who cost Manchester City £86,667 per save.
Worst value goalkeepers in the 2015/16 Premier League season:
| Name | Club | Weekly salary | Mins played | Mins per save | Cost per save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| De Gea, D | Manchester United | £200,000 | 2970 | 35.78 | £125,301 |
| Hart, J | Manchester City | £120,000 | 3150 | 43.75 | £86,667 |
| Courtois, T | Chelsea | £100,000 | 2070 | 30.90 | £77,612 |
| Foster, B | West Brom | £57,778 | |||
| Lloris, H | Tottenham Hotspur | £95,000 | 3330 | 37.00 | £54,889 |
Min. 1000 minutes played