5 best goalkeeping prospects in the Premier League right now

#4 Nick Pope (Burnley)

Safe hands: Pope during Burnley's 2-2 away draw against Manchester United

The oldest in this list at 25-years-old, Nick Pope has burst onto the top-flight scene and continues to establish himself as a tough goalkeeper to beat, in Tom Heaton's absence through injury.

The 31-year-old, sidelined over the past five months having had shoulder surgery, returned to play his first match in a behind-closed-doors friendly this week. Heaton has been a major part of Burnley's ever-improving development in recent seasons and the club captain's return, despite his rival's form, naturally boosted his team-mates.

It's a welcome selection dilemma for manager Sean Dyche to consider, not least as he genuinely believes the pair can battle it out on the international scene too in future.

Pope has kept nine clean sheets and made 78 saves in the Premier League this far this term, which is an impressive statistic as we're now into the business months of the campaign. In comparison, Heaton kept ten clean sheets and made a league high 141 saves during the 2016/17 campaign.

Pope excels at one-on-ones and is able to close the distance between himself and the attacker with an explosive burst of speed, which either puts them off or forces them into making a rash decision from close-range. He's equally a commanding presence in his area and a reliable pair of hands, one who - just like Heaton - is capable of starting attacks from the back.