Who are Arsenal’s best goalkeepers of the Premier League era? Learn the top 10 Arsenal goalkeepers since 1992 and the legacies they left behind at the club.
Arsenal have been lucky to have some of the best players in Premier League history in their teams over the years, each contributing to the success that has made them one of England’s greatest teams. A key part of their success, however, has been the goalkeepers behind the defensive line, who have played a large role in the team’s defensive stability.
Whether it’s been their shot-stopping, handling, composure, or distribution, Arsenal have had top-quality players in between the sticks over the years, with each demonstrating at least one of these abilities at an elite level.
But who are the best Arsenal goalkeepers of the Premier League era?
This blog will delve into the North London club’s keepers, picking out the very best to have played for the Gunners – many of whom have appeared among the Premier League betting favourites to win the Golden Glove during their careers. Covering their appearances for the club, trophies won, and their legacy, we’ll run through the best Arsenal keepers and take a trip down memory lane.
The top 10 Arsenal goalkeepers of the Premier League era
The table below summarises the top 10 Arsenal goalkeepers to have featured for the Gunners in the Premier League:
Rank | Player | Years Played for Arsenal | Games Played | Goals Conceded |
1 | David Seaman | 1992-2003 | 563 | 467 |
2 | Jens Lehmann | 2003-2008 | 200 | 164 |
3 | David Raya* | 2023- | 147 | 112 |
4 | Wojciech Szczesny | 2009-2017 | 181 | 194 |
5 | Petr Cech | 2015-2019 | 139 | 158 |
6 | Bernd Leno | 2018-2022 | 125 | 145 |
7 | Aaron Ramsdale | 2021-2024 | 89 | 99 |
8 | Manuel Almunia | 2004-2012 | 175 | 161 |
9 | David Ospina | 2014-2019 | 70 | 76 |
10 | Lukasz Fabianski | 2007-2014 | 78 | 86 |
*Active player so subject to change (Stats as of the start of the 2026/27 season)
Now let’s have a more in-depth look at their careers in North London, seeing what they managed to achieve during their time with the club, and explaining why they’re among Arsenal’s best goalkeepers.
10. Lukasz Fabianski
He may be more remembered for his time at West Ham and Swansea, but the Polish shot-stopper was a reliable second-choice goalkeeper during his seven-year spell at Arsenal between 2007 and 2014.
Though he never broke through to be number one, he made 78 appearances and won the FA Cup with the club in 2014, even starting in the final against Hull City. Unfortunately for him, though, he can’t rank any higher on this list due to the nerves he showed throughout his Arsenal career, only showing the best of his abilities nearer the end of his time with the Gunners.
9. David Ospina
Colombian keeper David Ospina is next up on the list, featuring for Arsenal between 2014 and 2019. Over his time with the club, he earned the nickname ‘The Colombian Wall’, though never established himself as a long-term number one for the team.
Ospina was originally signed to provide more competition to Wojciech Szczesny but earned the number one spot for the 2014/15 season. Despite steady performances, after the arrival of Petr Cech in 2015 he became limited to just domestic and European cup competitions.
Throughout his Arsenal tenure, he managed to win two FA Cup titles, coming in 2015 and 2017.
8. Manuel Almunia
The Spaniard may have been signed as backup to Jens Lehmann, but he managed to play plenty of minutes and even became number one following the German’s drop in form. Arsene Wenger kept Almunia as his number one keeper for multiple seasons, helping to bridge the gap between the ‘Invincibles’ era and the move to the Emirates Stadium.
After the Polish goalkeeping duo of Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski emerged from the academy, however, he was then in and out of the team before being loaned to West Ham. Eventually, he was sold to Watford in the Championship, where many may remember his importance to the infamous Troy Deeney goal in the 2012/13 play-offs, saving Anthony Knockaert’s penalty only moments before!
Overall, Almunia was a decent, reliable goalkeeper for Arsenal, but never quite made it into that elite bracket. Before his departure in 2012, he managed to win both the FA Cup in 2005 and the Community Shield in 2004.
7. Aaron Ramsdale
Signed in 2021, Englishman Aaron Ramsdale surprisingly joined the club from the recently relegated Sheffield United, also having gone down with Bournemouth just one season before that. It didn’t take long, however, before he was able to prove his worth and earn the fans’ respect. Ramsdale quickly demonstrated elite distribution and unbelievable reflexes, repeatedly proving himself throughout the 2021/22 season.
He then continued his development, becoming even better in his second season. Ramsdale started to look like one of Arsenal’s best goalkeepers, even helping the team mount the first of their consecutive title challenges in the 2022/23 season. After eventually finishing second to Manchester City, he deservedly earned himself a place in the PFA Team of the Year for his performances.
Despite this, though, David Raya was brought in for the 2023/24 season after concerns over Ramsdale’s long-term suitability to be Arsenal’s number one.
In one of his final games for the club, he played in the Community Shield against Manchester City, helping the team to win the match on penalties.
6. Bernd Leno
Arriving in 2018, Bernd Leno was one of Unai Emery’s first signings after making the move from Bayer Leverkusen. The German keeper made 125 appearances for the Gunners, rarely putting a foot wrong throughout his spell at the Emirates.
Leno was known for his excellent shot-stopping ability and produced a memorable double save in the 2019 North London Derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Unfortunately for him, his limitations with his feet meant Mikel Arteta saw the need to replace him with Aaron Ramsdale to start building a squad worthy of challenging for the Premier League title.
Throughout his time with Arsenal, he became an FA Cup winner in 2020 and won the 2021 Community Shield, though his understudy Emiliano Martinez featured in both games instead.
5. Petr Cech
Another keeper on this list who’s better known for his time with another London club is Petr Cech, one of the best Premier League goalkeepers of all time. After his incredibly successful spell with Chelsea, where he won both the Premier League and Champions League, Cech made the move to their London rivals in 2015.
Though the Blues may have considered him to be past his best, the Gunners were willing to roll the dice. For his first couple of years with Arsenal, he was able to maintain the high levels he displayed at Stamford Bridge, winning a fourth Golden Glove in the 2015/16 season after keeping 16 clean sheets.
His form did tail off towards the end of his time at Arsenal, but he still managed to contribute to their 2016/17 FA Cup victory despite missing the final due to injury.
4. Wojciech Szczesny
After coming through Arsenal’s academy, Wojciech Szczesny became one of the reasons Almunia lost his number one position at the club. At only 20 years old, he took the starting goalkeeper position in the 2010/11 season, showcasing real confidence between the sticks.
In the 2013/14 season, he went on to win the Golden Glove alongside Petr Cech, and he became a fan favourite throughout his time with the Gunners. In the following season, though, he didn’t maintain his stellar form despite going on to win his second FA Cup, beating Aston Villa 4-0 in the final.
The Pole was eventually moved to Roma on loan in 2015/16 and stayed for the 2016/17 season too, before transferring to Juventus permanently ahead of the 2017/18 campaign. As well as two FA Cups, Szczesny also left with a Community Shield title won in 2015.
3. David Raya
It hasn’t taken long for David Raya to rise up the ranks of Arsenal’s best goalkeepers. First joining the club on loan from Brentford in 2023, many were surprised by his signing given the top form demonstrated by Aaron Ramsdale. Ultimately, it proved the right decision.
In his first season with the club, he kept 16 clean sheets and immediately added his name to the list of Premier League Golden Glove winners. Since signing permanently, he’s regularly won the award, keeping a further 13 clean sheets in the 2024/25 season and 19 clean sheets in the 2025/26 season – helping the Gunners to win their first Premier League title in 22 years.
The consistency he’s shown in the Premier League and with Arsenal has been unrivalled, arguably making him the best all-round goalkeeper throughout the 2020s.
2. Jens Lehmann
Given the task of replacing the best Arsenal keeper, David Seaman, Jens Lehmann had one of the toughest jobs on his hands. Signing in 2003 from Borussia Dortmund, he filled Seaman’s boots immediately, helping the Gunners to win the Premier League title without losing a game, earning the team the title of ‘the Invincibles’.
Lehmann started every game in their unbeaten season and managed 15 clean sheets throughout the campaign. Though the Golden Glove was yet to be created, he had the most clean sheets that season, tied with Fulham’s Edwin van der Sar and Birmingham’s Maik Taylor.
Although no season can match his debut year with Arsenal, he dipped in form following his stellar first campaign, with Manuel Almunia being able to play some minutes himself in the 2005/06 season. The German shot-stopper still managed to play a crucial role in the Gunners’ run to the Champions League final, but following his red card in the game against Barcelona, his form never really returned.
Alongside his Premier League title, Lehmann left with the FA Cup and a Community Shield too after completing a cup double in the 2004/05 season. The German contributed greatly to these victories, saving Paul Scholes’ penalty kick in the FA Cup final shootout.
1. David Seaman
Without a doubt, David Seaman is deserving of top spot, with many considering him the outright best Arsenal goalkeeper in the Premier League era.
Not only is Seaman one of Arsenal’s best goalkeepers in history, but he also makes it onto the list of the top ten Arsenal players ever, leaving behind an incredible legacy.
The Englishman held the number one spot for over a decade with the Gunners, proving a safe pair of hands for many years. He may have begun his Arsenal career before the Premier League was formed, but he played the majority of his league matches in the revamped first division thanks to his incredible consistency.
Seaman was known for his leadership and composure, with his pivotal saves being a crucial part of the team’s defence. His iconic FA Cup semi-final save against Sheffield United in 2003 springs to mind as arguably the best of his career.
Before moving to Manchester City in 2003, he won many major honours with the North London club, including three league titles (two Premier Leagues), four FA Cups, one League Cup, and three Community Shields.
