FIFA 13 | So You Want A… Goalkeeper (Winter update)

Follow @FIFAscouting

We’re back! The January transfers have gone through and it’s time for another installment in the So You Want A… series.

Usually EA release a big update with all of the transfers sometime in early February. However, this year they did it slightly differently. Since FIFA 13 came out, every year the EA team have made updated OVRs and potentials available for download based on real life player performances. Usually these are just slight tweaks, but after some breakout performances a player’s potential can change a lot (Raheem Sterling is a good example). This is rare, though.

So please bear in mind that the information below is based on the updated squads from 2nd February. However, there’s no need to panic if you downloaded the update on 8th February (or any other subsequent update), as most players will not change (or if they do, it’ll be by a small amount). In any case, this year potentials are very flexible, so if a player you’re interested has his potential lowered in an update, he can still reach his old potential if he plays well for you.

The ‘Avai?’ column is short for ‘available?’ (there is not enough space for the full word), and it refers to whether or not each player is available to buy in the first transfer window. ‘Y’ means yes, they are available, whilst ‘N’ means that they’re not. The number after the ‘Y’ or ‘N’ is the amount of years left on their contract. So ‘Y/2? means that yes, they are available to buy in the first transfer window and that they have 2 years left on their contract. Similarly, ‘N/5? means they’re not available to buy right away and that they have 5 years left on their contract. The ones to look out for are Y/1, as you should be able to get these players for less than their listed value. Players who are on loan will have a “-” in this column because information on their contracts is not available.

Anyway, here are my recommendations this time around:

• Stefanos Kapino
• Alphonse Aréola
• Fabrice Ondoa
• Renan Ribeiro

First up, we’ve got Stefanos Kapino. I’ve put him in because he’s a bit of a wonderkid, already one of the best rated goalkeepers in this article and he’s only 18. I also refuse to believe that he’ll only grow 11 points in as many years – he’s got plenty of time on his hands and should easily exceed his potential. Granted, he is on the expensive side, but he’ll be worth every penny in the long run.

Next is Alphonse Aréola. This guy is probably the most well balanced keeper here. Whilst some goalkeepers are good shot stoppers and some have reliable handling, Aréola excels in both of these areas. He’ll grow into a perfectly well-rounded goalkeeper, and at a fantastic price.

Speaking of costs, my next recommendation is Fabrice Ondoa. It’s about time Barca B had a decent goalkeeper, and they’ve finally found one in this guy. His standout stat is his handling, which bodes very well for the future. Many young goalkeepers need a lot of work when it comes to holding onto the ball, but not Ondoa; he should be reliable for years to come. Add to that the fact that he’s priced at just £550,000 and you’ve got a very strong option on your hands.

My final recommendation is Renan Ribeiro. This player is simply the best shot-stopper in this article. With diving 80 and reflexes 81, plus his height of 6’4″, he’s going to be very hard to beat. His handling and positioning are not up to this standard, but they’re still on a par with many keepers in this list. He’s only got a couple of years on his contract so you shouldn’t need to pay more than £2m for a brilliant shot-stopper.

So, here’s the list in full: