5 most valuable back-up goalkeepers in the world right now
In every football team, the goalkeeper is of great importance. A good number of games are decided by the performance of the men between the sticks in football. The likes of Manuel Neuer, Ederson, Alisson, Thibaut Courtois and Jan Oblak are a few examples of some stellar goalkeepers.
As important as it is to have quality goalkeepers, it is equally important to have quality goalkeeping options on the bench. A lot of teams tend to struggle when they lose their first-choice goalkeepers to injury or suspension because they fail to invest in reliable back-up goalkeepers.
Like the other 10 positions on the football pitch, the goalkeeping position should have adequate and high-quality cover.
Being a back-up keeper is one of the hardest jobs in football because game time is usually hard to come by. Some teams have, however, managed to hold on to quality players to fill this role. Without further ado, here is a list of the five most valuable back-up goalkeepers in world football currently.
#5 Kepa Arrizabalaga (€10 Million)
Chelsea triggered Kepa Arrizabalaga's release clause in 2018 to sign him from Athletic Bilbao, making him the world's most expensive goalkeeper. The Blues paid around €80 million to secure the then-23-year-old on a seven-year deal.
A brilliant debut campaign saw him win the UEFA Europa League with the club and reach the Carabao Cup final. However, his career has since been on a downward slope. The Spaniard looked a shadow of his confident self under former manager Frank Lampard. He had a loss of form and confidence that saw him perform poorly for Chelsea.
Lampard even preferred to play 39-year-old Willy Caballero ahead of Kepa in important games. Hence, Chelsea brought in Edouard Mendy to be their new goalkeeper in 2021.
Since Mendy's arrival, Kepa has seen his chances limited greatly as he has made only a handful of appearances. He has made just eight appearances this season, only one in the Premier League.
However, under manager Thomas Tuchel, Kepa had made a remarkable improvement and earned his manager's trust. However, dislodging Mendy as Chelsea's number one looks impossible at present.
Kepa has actually improved so much https://t.co/yz81lKG1Vd
Kepa is said to be happy at Chelsea but is looking for viable options where he can play regularly once more. The 27-year-old is now valued at €10 million after a huge drop in his market value since the start of his troubles.
#4 Alphonse Areola (€12 Million)
West Ham United have the luxury of replacing their first-choice keeper Lucasz Fabianski with former Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain custodian Alphonse Areola. Not many clubs in Europe have a keeper of Areola's standing on their bench.
The 28-year-old Frenchman has made nine appearances for the Hammers this season. They have come in the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Europa League this season and he has kept six clean sheets. Areola is still on the books of PSG as he is presently on his sixth loan spell away from the club.
Alphonse Areola
4 games
4 clean sheets
16 saves
⚒ https://t.co/KG1lxH2lZA
With the 2022 FIFA World Cup on his mind, it is said that Areola is pushing for more minutes in a West Ham shirt. The three-cap France international is presently valued at €12 million.