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Goalkeepers are typically players who don't hit peak until they're in their 30s - much later than the average footballer at any other position. That is precisely why it is difficult to find many young goalkeepers who are already stalwarts for their respective clubs, and possibly even countries. As a result, that odd young goalkeeper who does blossom into a top-quality footballer in his position must be cherished.
The modern-day goalkeeper has a lot more responsibilities than the traditional shot-stopper. They must be good with their feet to help the team build-up from the back. It is also vital for a keeper to communicate well with his backline and marshall them according to his requirements.
It is not easy being a goalkeeper, and the ramifications of an error leading to a goal can sometimes prove to be well over-the-top. To take on such pressure at a young age makes it that much more commendable.
Let's take a look at the top 5 most valuable goalkeepers in the U-23 age group right now.
#5 Aaron Ramsdale (England, Bournemouth) - £11.25 million
It has been a season to forget for AFC Bournemouth. They sit dangerously in the relegation zone at the time of writing, three points from safety. Moreover, it has been a below par season for a number of their star players, including Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser.
However, they have had a few youngsters gain some vital Premier League experience, all of whom have done pretty well under the circumstances. Welshmen Harry Wilson and David Brooks have shown plenty of promise, but none more so than English shot-stopper Aaron Ramsdale.
Ramsdale, aged just 22, replaced Asmir Begovic as the club's first-choice goalkeeper at the beginning of the 2019-20 season, and has looked a natural ever since. It has certainly not been an easy campaign for the Englishman who has had to live with the third-worst defense in the league.
Although Ramsdale has kept only 5 clean sheets this season, the promise he has shown has far outgrown the numbers in his CV so far. Often, he has been the difference between winning and losing, and his bursting onto the scene has proven to be extremely timely in a phase where the club had simply run out of options.
#4 Dean Henderson (England, Sheffield United) - £13.05 million
Sheffield United as a team have been perhaps the biggest surprise package of this Premier League season, and the Blades have Manchester United loanee Dean Henderson to thank for that. Henderson impressed for Sheffield United in the Championship last season, and the club worked hard to get him to return for one more season with them, this time in the top flight of English football.
Whether he would be able to step-up his game to the Premier League level was a question many had asked, but Henderson went on to ridicule the same. Not only was he well capable of being a Premier League goalkeeper, he was already one of the best. The 23 year-old from Whitehaven helped the Blades become one of the top 3 defenses in the league - a feat no one could have expected at the start of the season.
Such has been the rise to stardom for the Manchester United loanee, that a number of people have suggested that United move on from the error-prone David de Gea and make Dean Henderson their first-choice keeper heading into the 2020-21 season. That in itself is tremendous praise for one of world football's brightest goalkeeping talents.
#3 Unai Simon (Spain, Athletic Bilbao) - £14.4 million
When Athletic Bilbao accepted a world-record fee for Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea, questions were asked on who would replace the Spaniard at Bilbao. However, Athletic Club knew exactly what they were doing when they sanctioned the deal to sell Kepa.
They initially tried experienced goalkeeper Iago Herrerin out, before gradually promoting academy graduate Unai Simon to the starting line-up. As of now, the 23 year-old is the undisputed starter under the cross-bar.
Simon has been a revelation for Athletic, and you might claim that he is better than Kepa Arrizabalaga at this moment since the latter has had a forgettable season thus far. With Simon in goal, Athletic can boast of the third-best defense in La Liga, behind the two Madrid giants. The 6'3" goalkeeper has ridiculous reflexes and is composed with the ball at this feet too.
The postponement of the Euro from 2020 to 2021 has given Simon enough time to seriously push for a spot in the Spain roster, and perhaps even the starting berth if David de Gea and Kepa Arrizabalaga continue to falter.
#2 Alex Meret (Italy, Napoli) - £25.2 million
It comes as no surprise to see Italy producing some of the best young goalkeepers in the world right now. A nation with a rich history when it comes to producing top-level goalkeepers, Italy have struck gold once again in the form of Napoli's Alex Meret.
Napoli have had a somewhat topsy-turvy season, with some off-the-pitch issues hampering the mood around the club. Still, many players have tried their level best to not let that affect their performances, and that includes 23-year-old Alex Meret.
Napoli deemed it fair to pay £23.4 million to Udinese to bag Meret when he was just 21. That investment seems to be paying off so far as Meret looks like the real deal. He's made a number of insane saves to save the blushes of a Napoli defense that has struggled in the absence of star center-back Kalidou Koulibaly, when the Senegalese was missing in action at the start of the calendar year.
Meret would start for Italy in almost any other circumstances, but unfortunately the nation's finest is on a different level altogether...
#1 Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, AC Milan) - £44.5 million
By far the most valuable U-23 goalkeeper in the world, Gianluigi Donnarumma is in a league of his own when it comes to young shot-stoppers. Donnarumma is about to finish what will be his 5th season as AC Milan's first choice goalkeeper. He is 21.
That fact alone is enough to justify his inclusion at the top spot in this list, but there's more to it. He has also been representing Italy since 2016, when he was just 17 - the youngest goalkeeper in the Azzurri's history. He is fast closing in on 200 appearances for a footballing giant like AC Milan, and will certainly do so before his 22nd birthday - a quite astonishing feat.
As for his keeping abilities, his reflexes are world-class already, and one can only speculate how good he could be in his peak. Despite being 6'5" tall, he has incredible flexibility and can dive as well as any other keeper in all of Europe. His kicking and distribution need help but at only 21, he has a massive chunk of his career still ahead of him.
Truth be told, Donnarumma already has a CV most goalkeepers can only dream of. Team accolades are sure to follow in the future. After all, you couldn't possibly go wrong with an Italian goalkeeper named Gianluigi!
