'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#3 Gianluigi Buffon (Parma/Italy) - €52.9 million
Gianluigi Buffon is arguably one of the best goalkeepers to have graced the game. During a legendary career for club and country, Buffon has kept clean sheets and won accolades galore.
Trending
His transfer to Juventus in the summer of 2001 made him the most expensive goalkeeper in the history of the game, a record that stood for nearly two decades.
The 2006 FIFA World Cup winner has kept over 400 clean sheets in his club career, with a record 299 of them coming in the Serie A. However, with decreased game time since his return to Juventus after a one-season stint with PSG in 2019, Buffon has moved back to his boyhood club Parma this summer.
The 43-year-old isn't necessarily a ball-playing keeper but possesses excellent shot-stopping prowess and commands his box like few else.
In 2021-22, Buffon will play only his second season in the Italian second division after his only such campaign coming for Juventus in 2006-07 after the infamous Calciopoli scandal.
Buffon has also been a standout performer for Italy, having kept a staggering 77 clean sheets in over 170 appearances for the Azzurri between 1997 and 2018.
#2 Alisson Becker (Liverpool/Brazil) - €62.5 million
Alisson Becker, more commonly known only by his first name, is one of the best goalkeepers in the game at the moment.
The former AS Roma custodian has been key in Liverpool winning the Champions League and Premier League titles in successive seasons. Alisson is strong in the air, has good shot-stopping prowess and often starts attacks for club and country from the back.
Last season, the keeper made a few high-profile errors as Liverpool failed to defend their Premier League title. Nevertheless, Alisson made news by becoming the first goalkeeper in the club's history to score from open play. His late winner proved pivotal as the Reds unexpectedly qualified for the Champions League after a debilitating mid-season slump.
The 28-year-old has kept an impressive 32 shutouts in almost 50 appearances for Brazil, 20 of them coming in competitive games.
#1 Kepa Arrizabalaga - €80 million
Chelsea smashed the transfer record for a goalkeeper when they acquired Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao for €80 million in the summer of 2018.
But three years later, it can be said that Arrizabalaga, more commonly known by his first name, has failed to do justice to his enormous price tag. A plethora of high-profile errors, especially in the 2019-20 campaign, almost derailed Chelsea's bid for a top-four finish.
Despite his promising start at Bilbao, Kepa has particularly struggled in one-on-one situations in the Premier League, prematurely rushing out of his line and exhibiting generally poor decision-making.
Kepa remains a Chelsea keeper for now, but the arrival of the excellent Edouard Mendy meant the Spaniard played only 14 games across competitions last season. It remains to be seen if Kepa can improve enough to provide Mendy with tougher competition.
