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After the drama and excitement of the World Cup, the transfer market is now the biggest game in European football. The summer transfer window for the 2018/2019 season will in future be known as the summer of goalkeepers.
It is hard to recall a transfer window that has seen as many goalkeeping transfers as this one and more are still expected.
After the unending (and frankly tiresome stream) of rumours constantly linking David De Gea to Real Madrid, it will finally be ended this season.
The list of confirmed transfers is already mind-boggling; Martin Hardecky has joined Bayer Leverkusen to replace Bernd Leno, Marvin Hitz to Borussia Dortmund, Pepe Reina has joined AC Milan and the legend himself; Gigi Buffon has joined PSG.
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It's widely expected that Thibault Courtois' move to Real Madrid will trigger a game of musical chairs. Leicester City's Kasper Schmeichel is the alleged replacement at Chelsea while Danny Ward is expected to leave Liverpool and become the new numero uno for the Foxes.
With the goalkeeping transfer record already broken, more moves involving top clubs and goalies are still being expected.
Here is a look at 5 of the top goalkeeping transfers that may define the 2018/2019 season:
#5 Bernd Leno (Bayer Leverkusen to Arsenal)
Arsenal fans could be forgiven for the optimism they felt when Petr Cech was signed in 2015.
The move has not panned out as expected due to a combination of factors; Arsene Wenger's poor defensive tactics among others. This informed the decision by the new Arsenal manager Unai Emery to go for a new top goalie.
Lots of names were bandied about but Gunners' chief scout Sven Mislintat's knowledge of the Bundesliga convinced the manager that Leno was the right choice.
The German goalie who came in for a reasonable fee of £19.2m is expected to compete with Cech for the number one spot.
His agility, flexibility, command of his area and relative youth (26) means that the Gunners would have a reliable presence in goal for the next few years.
At 1.9m, Leno keeps in tradition with the German style of producing tall goalies and is more than capable of producing the goods for Arsenal. Quick of his line, he is agile and capable of making breathtaking saves (and a few clangers but nothing on the David Ospina and last season’s Cech scale).
#4 Alphonse Areola (PSG to AS Roma)
The only man who has won the World Cup while yet to make his debut, a lot is expected of the giant goalie.
However, there has been a steady stream of rumours linking various goalkeepers to PSG; Jan Oblak, Gigi Donnarumma among others.
These stories are sure to have gotten to the 23-year-old who has reportedly asked for assurances about his future. The arrival of Gigi Buffon (on a short-term contract) from Juventus means the Frenchman may be on his way out.
AS Roma has emerged as the most likely destination for the World Cup winner as Alisson Becker already out of the way.
He is well aware of the fact that he needs regular first-team football at a UEFA Champions League club to assure his place in the France set-up.
Given his relative youth and abilities, he would make a good replacement for the Brazilian international and get the first team football he craves.
With pressure from outstanding young goalies like Alban Lafont (who also just joined Fiorentina), Areola knows he has to push to be able to take over when Hugo Lloris steps down from the national team.
#3 Alex Meret (Udinese to Napoli)
A strapping young lad looking to follow in the culture of legendary Italian goalkeepers, Meret's ascent to the top has been nowhere as dramatic as Gigi Donnaruma's has been but take nothing away from the young man; he has all the makings of a top-class keeper.
His transfer to SSC Napoli has been one of the more understated goalkeeping moves. However, Napoli and Carlo Ancelotti will be thanking their stars they got the hotshot at the reasonably priced fee of £31m.
Quick off his line, agile and blessed with good reflexes and a keen understanding of the game, Meret was a revelation on loan at Serie A club SPAL on loan from parent club Udinese.
It was rumoured that Italian champions Juventus were looking at the Italian U-19 international as a long-term replacement for Buffon before deciding to go for Mattia Perin.
Expected to be the Neapolitans’ first choice goalie (though currently injured), Meret will be expected to flourish and live up to his potential. Given his height, long reach & quick reflexes, the Italian youth international will be a big hit in a Napoli side for which second place is no longer good enough.
#2 Thibault Courtois (Chelsea to Real Madrid)
Were it not for the Alisson move, Courtois’s expected transfer to Real Madrid might have been the biggest goalkeeping transfer in this window.
The Belgian goalkeeper has been perhaps the most linked goalie to the UEFA Champions League winners since the club decided to forgo the signing of Athletic Bilbao’s Kepa Arrizabalaga and end the de Gea farce.
The Belgian number one had a very productive three years at Real's city rivals; Atletico and is said to love living in Madrid.
Undoubtedly one of the pre-eminent goalies in world football, the 26-year-old has all the attributes of a world-class goalie and would provide an instant upgrade to Navas.
Agile, good with his hands and feet, brilliant at crosses and starting counterattacks with his throws and passing, Courtois' presence in goal could be a big boost for Real's defence. This would encourage the fullbacks to push forward even more and help in overloading the attack.
It has been reported that a £35m deal has been agreed for the World Cup Golden Gloves winner and the only thing left is for Chelsea to sign a replacement.
#1 Alisson Becker (AS Roma to Liverpool)
Finally, after endless speculation and dilly-dallying, Liverpool has finally ponied up the goalkeeping transfer fee Roma demanded.
Alisson's star has really come to the fore in the last two years as he has undoubtedly been one of the best goalkeepers in world football. The fact that he is keeping Manchester City's very excellent Ederson out of the Brazilian team is just one indicator of his quality.
A vocal leader of men, the Novo Hamburgo-born player commands his area in the style of the goalkeeping greats, something that would be of great benefit for Liverpool's skittish defenders i.e. Dejan Lovren, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ragnar Klavan among others.
He has a finely tuned nose for sniffing out danger and is the ideal man to play in goal in Klopp's preferred gegenpressing style, allowing the central midfielders and fullbacks to push forward and join the attack.
He has amazing reflexes, is excellent in one-on-one situations and would be an attacking asset with his brilliant passing range (long and short) from defence.
His £65m fee may look expensive but for the quality and assurance he would bring to the defence, it is a price that may look like a bargain in the nearest future.
