Goalkeeping is one of the hardest and most stressful jobs in football yet it often goes unrecognized. A single howler from the goalkeeper is likely to grab more headlines than the match-deciding saves he makes.
However, the goalkeepers are now starting to get more recognization and the clubs are willing to spend big on them. Last summer, we saw the record of the highest transfer fee paid for a goalkeeper break twice.
First, Liverpool breaks the record by signing Alisson Becker from AS Roma for €73million. Later, Chelsea went one step ahead of their rivals by spending €80 million for the signing of the Spanish goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalaga.
On that note, here are
#1 Jan Oblak & Marc-Andre Ter Stegen- €80 million
With the market value of €80 million, Jan Oblak and Marc-Andre Ter Stegen are the most valuable goalkeepers in the world at the moment.
Jan Oblak established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the world and played a vital role in Atletico Madrid’s success during the last few years.
After joining the Los Colchoneros in 2014, Oblak won one Europa League trophy, one Supercopa de Espana, one UEFA Super Cup with the club so far, and also helped the team reach the finals of the Champions League during the 2015-16 season.
The 26-year-old was awarded the La Liga Best Goalkeeper accolade twice and was also included in the UEFA Champions League Team of the Season on two different occasions.
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen joined Barcelona from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2014 and is a regular starter in the team since the 2016-17 season.
The German international has played 166 games in all competitions for the club so far and helped the Blaugrana win a number of trophies including three La Liga titles, 4 Copa Del Rey title and one Champions League trophy.
The 26-year-old was the part of UEFA Champions League Team of the Season 2015-16 and was also included in the UEFA Team of the Year 2018 for his wonderful performances.
#2 David de Gea- €70 million
With a market value of €70 million, Manchester United’s David de Gea is the third most valuable goalkeeper in the world.
The Spanish international joined Manchester United from Atletico Madrid in 2011 for a reported fee of €25 million. He significantly improved during the last few years after his slow start at the club. He has played 259 Premier League games for the Red Devils so far and won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award four times.
The 28-year-old won one Premier League trophy, one Europa League, one FA Cup, one EFL Cup, along with three FA Community Shields with Manchester United. David de Gea was the part of FIFA FIFPro World XI 2018 and was also included in PFA Team of the Season in five out of last six Premier League seasons.
The Spanis shot-stopper’s current contract at Old Trafford will expire at the end of the next season and the Red Devils are doing everything possible to extend his stay at the club.
#3 Thibaut Courtois & Alisson Becker- €65 million
After a successful spell with Chelsea in the Premier League, Thibaut Courtois left the English club to join Real Madrid for €38.8m in the summer transfer window of 2018.
Courtois played 154 games in all competitions during his time with Chelsea and helped the club win two Premier League titles along with one FA Cup and one Football League Cup.
However, his move to Real Madrid did not go as planned and he is currently struggling with his performances. He has conceded 22 goals in 16 La Liga games so far this season and managed to keep just six clean sheets.
Nevertheless, he is a great goalkeeper and will be looking forward to getting back to his best soon. Courtois was crowned as the best goalkeeper at the FIFA World Cup 2018 and was also included in the FIFA FIFPro World XI: Second team.
Eyebrows were raised when Liverpool spent a whopping €73 million to secure the services of the Brazilian goalkeeper from AS Roma in the summer transfer window of 2018. However, he settled into his new team quickly and is paying every penny of that fee back to the club with his impressive performances on the field.
The acquisition of the 26-year-old goalkeeper helped the Reds sort out their defensive woes and now they boast the best defensive record in the division. The Merseyside-based club have conceded only 10 goals in their 22 Premier League matches this season and are at the top of the league table.
The Brazillian number one is currently leading the race for the Premier League Golden Glove(13 clean sheets in 22 games) and will be key for Liverpool during their fight for the Premier League glory this season.
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