Sunderland’s next goalkeeper Robin Roefs made ‘save of the season’ v ex-Premier League striker
Sunderland are set to complete the signing of Dutch goalkeeper Robin Roefs from NEC Nijmegen.
The Black Cats will pay up to £11.5million for the 22-year-old shot-stopper, who featured for the Netherlands at the Under-21 European Championships in June.
Sunderland’s swoop to sign Roefs follows a clear desire to add a new goalkeeper to Regis Le Bris’ ranks, with Djordje Petrovic also targeted earlier in the window before his move to Bournemouth.
Roefs’ rapid Eredivise rise
Roefs’ talent has been known for some time, but the goalkeeper has surged into the headlines over the last 12 months.
- Date of birth: 17 January 2003
- Place of birth: Heeswijk, Netherlands
- Height: 6 ft 4 in
- Position: Goalkeeper
The Dutchman made his debut in the Eredivisie in 2023, but was forced to wait in the shadows as NEC favoured the experience of former Barcelona man Jasper Cillessen.
When Cillessen was sold to Las Palmas at the end of the season, the decision over Roef’s readiness was already made.
The 22-year-old would go on to feature in all but two of the Dutch side’s league games, keeping 10 clean sheets along the way.
Comparisons to Cillesen and Van der Sar
Roefs, who NEC captain Leo Oldenburger not-so subtly suggested would be the future goalkeeper of the Netherlands national team last season, has drawn comparisons to some of the very best.
His former teammate, Cillesen, for one, who made 65 appearances for the Oranje and impressed at the 2014 World Cup, featuring throughout as Louis van Gaal’s side finished third.
But perhaps a more flattering comparison, without diminishing the talents of Cillesen, is to that of Netherlands legend and Champions League winner with Manchester United, Edwin van der Sar.
| Edwin van der Sar | Premier League |
| Appearances | 313 |
| Clean sheets | 136 |
Ziggo Sport reporter Sam van Royen asked Roefs following the Netherlands’ victory over Portugal at the U21 Euros: “Am I getting ahead of myself if I call you Edwin?”
The 22-year-old batted away the comparison, but excitement surrounding the shot-stopper’s potential is only increasing by the match.
That incredible save to deny Sebastien Haller
One standout moment in March would see the goalkeeper inexplicably claw out former West Ham United striker Sebastien Haller’s header in the closing moments of NEC’s 1-0 win over FC Utrecht – a save described as “the save of the season” by manager Rogier Meijer.
The Ivorian found space within the box, and met a cross within the six-yard box, powering it towards goal and starting to reel back, expecting the net to bulge.
Instead, the ball found the sprawling glove of Roefs, who had managed to contort his body at full stretch while keeping the strength in his wrist to deflect the ball away.
The header, according to Sander Janssen, had an expected goals on target value of 0.98 – meaning 98 times out of 100, it should have found the back of the net.
- You can watch Roefs’ “save of the season” by simply hitting play on the YouTube video below.
Roefs stuns on a statistical level
The hype is for good reason. Roefs excels in several key areas of goalkeeping outside of his shot-stopping.
| Robin Roefs | Eredivisie 2024/25 (per 90) |
| Crosses stopped | 1.63 |
| Passes completed (launched) | 17.56 |
| Def. Actions outside penalty area | 1.41 |
- Cross-stopping: Roefs ranks extremely high among other goalkeepers in his ability to prevent incoming crosses, boasting the height to pluck them out of the sky and the decision-making to know when to emerge, and when to stay on his line.
- Passing: Undoubtedly, any modern goalkeeper should have the ability to pass the ball. Roefs does, and often favours the long pass – although the selection is largely under the discretion of the head coach.
- Coming off the line: The pace of the Premier League inevitably leads to situations in which the goalkeeper is required to cut out a through pass, rather than the defender. Roefs is not afraid to come off his line, with the timing absolutely key.
But while the Dutchman is strong throughout, his shot-stopping is certainly what will have caught Sunderland’s eye.
According to Opta’s expected goals on target (xGOT) model, Roefs prevented 11.5 goals last season in the Eredivisie, more than any other goalkeeper in the division.
In comparison, no goalkeeper came even close to replicating that number in the Premier League last season – Dean Henderson was the closest, preventing 4.4 goals.
Sunderland have secured a bargain
Sunderland fans can be extremely happy with the possible £11.5m they are paying for Roefs. The Black Cats have likely acquired the Netherlands’ next number one, who will only improve with age.
On paper, the shot-stopper has all the tools required to play in the Premier League, and while options such as Stefan Ortega would have brought Premier League experience, Sunderland have prioritised data in their approach.
Roefs’ arrival is expected to open the door for Anthony Patterson’s departure, with the Englishman likely to seek consistent football.
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