top 10 goalkeepers in European football right now

With Manuel Neuer out injured, there’s a vacant spot at the top of the goalkeeper power rankings.

Obviously no such rankings exist but if they did, Manuel Neuer would have owned the no. 1 spot for pretty much the last four years at least. But with the titanic Teuton out on the sidelines with a foot injury having played no minutes this season, the throne sits unoccupied with any number of contenders vying for it. We here at Squawka have outlined the 10 best goalkeepers in the world right now to see who is making the best attempt to usurp Manuel Neuer’s crown.

10. Alphonse Areola

PSG

Games: 8

Saves: 12

Clean Sheets: 5

Loaned out for previous seasons (to great success at Villarreal), Areola has finally come into his own in Paris, locking down the no. 1 spot and giving the Parisians a true sense of solidity in goal. Areola’s form is such that if Hugo Lloris weren’t French captain he’d have to worry about his position.

9. Ederson

Manchester City

Games: 7

Saves: 9

Clean Sheets: 4

Fresh off the Benfica goalkeeper production line, Ederson has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water. He’s a wonderful player with the ball at his feet but what’s more impressive is how well he has commanded his area in the hurly burly of the Premier League. Taking Sadio Mané’s boot right in the face was a real tone-setting moment at the back for Manchester City.

8. Hugo Lloris

Spurs

Games: 7

Saves: 7

Clean Sheets: 4

Lloris is Spurs and France captain and a wonderfully experienced figurehead. An excellent sweeper and solid presence at saving, his kicking remains a weak point and he of course has an inexplicable tendency to fluff his lines in key games.

7. Alisson

Roma

Games: 6

Saves: 22

Clean Sheets: 4

Few had heard of Alisson before a year ago when he joined Roma, but he’s very much a known quantity now. Firmly established as Brazil’s no. 1 and a superb stopper for Roma, where he’s made an impressive 22 saves to give the Roman side the second best defensive record in Serie A.

6. Samir Handanovic

Inter

Games: 7

Saves: 15

Clean Sheets: 4

The big Slovenian is a powerful presence in goal for Inter. Commanding of his area and a solid stopper; no one has a better defensive record in Serie A this season. And only Diego Alves has saved more penalties since the start of 2012/13 than Handanovic’s remarkable 9 stops.

5. Marc-André Ter Stegen

Barcelona

Games: 7

Saves: 10

Clean Sheets: 5

Ter Stegen is the man who will inherit Manuel Neuer’s shirt for Germany, a role he’s had to work hard to earn. The German is a wonderful shot stopper, especially in 1v1 situations, but his greatest skill is his superhuman passing; the Blaugrana keeper plays the ball with the precision of a midfielder!

4. Gianluigi Buffon

Juventus

Games: 5

Saves: 7

Clean Sheets: 2

It’s clear that he’s nowhere near his dominant best, but no one has the kind of experience and big match savvy that Gianluigi Buffon does. The 39 year-old turns it on when it matters most and, for now, still holds his place among the game’s elite.

3. Thibaut Courtois

Chelsea

Games: 7

Saves: 14

Clean Sheets: 3

Chelsea’s gangly Belgian is often underrated but when he’s at his best he uses his long frame to make impossible and unexpected saves. Has been let down by his defence this season (hence just 3 clean sheets) but there’s no denying the incredible quality he possesses.

2. Jan Oblak

Atlético Madrid

Games: 7

Saves: 18

Clean Sheets: 4

Jan Oblak is the second former Benfica goalkeeper on this list and the second Slovenian, which is pretty incredible. Inbetween the sticks, Oblak is a colossus for Atlético Madrid. An almost impassable last line of defence for a side that prides itself on being a great defensive side. Without Oblak’s absurd tendency for miracle saves, Atleti are far more vulnerable to opposing strikers

1. David De Gea

Manchester United

Games: 7

Saves: 15

Clean Sheets: 6

David De Gea has emerged from his worst season for half a decade to place the greatest claim to Manuel Neuer’s throne. De Gea is playing so well that even if Neuer were fully fit he’d have a challenge on his hands. United have conceded just two goals in the Premier League and those both game in the same game. De Gea has an incredible 6 clean sheets and that is only because of his own magnificence as United have left him wide-open at least once a match. The Spaniard is a picturebook of miracle saves and each game he plays bring a new page.