On October 5, Sorare announced five English Championship clubs joined the platform: Burnley, Coventry City, Millwall, Norwich City and Watford. The five represent a significant bit of history, a number of top-end second tier talent, and a wide spread of current fortunes. In this series of four articles we’ll be examining the top two options for each club at each Sorare position, together with a couple of additional names (U23s, age 24, and others that catch my eye).
Per Sorare: EFL Championship clubs are eligible for our All Star tournaments and the brand new Second Division competitions starting GW 312. In addition, all second division player cards will be eligible to enter the global competitions. Championship players were previously eligible to play in Challenger Europe competitions when it opened. Those players will no longer be eligible in Challenger Europe and will only be eligible in the Second Division Europe competitions.
In today’s article we’re covering the goalkeepers at each club.
Arijanet Muric, age 23 | Burnley
The new No. 1 for the Clarets is a former Manchester City youth player who has played with two different Eredivisie teams, Nottingham Forest, Girona, before making 31 starts with Adana Demirspor in Turkey last season, when he posted monster scores with regularity.
I don’t see a ton of value in his Limited price (0.200 Ξ) but it is in line with his Rare price 2.000 Ξ. That is a lot to spend on a starting GK who only has one year remaining of U23 eligibility. Essentially this is a bet on Burnely (currently 5th) in the Prem, making it back into the top flight with Muric remaining starter for another decade. Because GK with that level of scoring do not otherwise cost 2.000 Ξ. He could still make a move to another club in the future with better Tournament eligibility and SO5 upside. The other play I think some are making is to invest in second division players to cultivate a pipeline of potential Champions players but that is a risk, long play.
Behind Muric for Burnley is Bailey Peacock-Farrell (age 25) who made 43 starts with Sheffield Wednesday, including 15 clean sheets, last season in League One. But his career save rate of 66% isn’t good and in his extremely limited time this year he’s allowed three goals (against two saves) in 31’. If Muric goes down, Burnley is in real trouble.