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It has been coming and it has been finally confirmed, Juventus and Italian goalkeeping legend Gianluigi Buffon will leave the club at the end of the season.
The former Parma goalies has been an ever-present ever between the posts for the Bianconeri since he joined in a then world record-fee (for a goalkeeper) of £23.3m in 2001.
After 17 glorious seasons that has seen the veteran shot-stopper win all, there is to win in domestic Italian football at least thrice, age has finally caught up with the peerless one and his performances this season have not been as glorious as expected.
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While he will have regrets about never lifting the UCL despite appearing in 3 finals (2003, 2015, 2017), his trophy haul is still an enviable one.
How to replace an irreplaceable goalkeeper, leader and inspirational figure like Gigi will be a headache that manager Massimilano Allegri and the Juve board will have to deal with.
Current number two Wojech Szcesney is a very good goalkeeper but there are doubts about his suitability for the Number One role at such a prestigious club so it is expected that La Vecchia Signora (The Old Lady) may have to go into the transfer market to get a suitable replacement.
Here is a look at 5 possible replacements for the Juve legend:
#5 Alphonse Areola (PSG)
Areola has been touted as the long-term competition/replacement for current national team 1st choice and captain, Hugo Lloris and is gradually getting to a top class level.
He has been very good for PSG this season and has been a commanding and reassuring presence in Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League for Unai Emery's team.
However, rumors linking big-name goalies like David De Gea, Jan Oblak, Thibault Courtois to the club have refused to abate and given the club’s financial splurge on players, since it was taken over by Oryx Qatar Sports Investments 2011, these rumors are not far-fetched.
Given Areola’s relative youth and abilities, he would make a good replacement for Buffon and will not cost an arm and leg as his contract with the Paris giants is set to end in 2019.
With his place in France’s World Cup squad almost assured but with pressure from outstanding young goalies like Alban Lafont (Toulouse), Areola will be willing to go somewhere where he is assured of becoming the undisputed number one.
The 25-year old is an impressive shot-stopper who uses his height well to block opposition attackers but has room for improvement in terms of distribution and commanding his defence.
#4 Alex Meret (on-loan at SPAL from Udinese)
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.
Quick off his line, agile and blessed with good reflexes and a keen understanding of the game, Meret is currently developing his skills at Serie A club SPAL on loan from parent club Udinese and has been brilliant in helping the newly-promoted side fight to stave off relegation back to Serie B.
The U-19 Italian international has long been linked with a move to the Allianz Stadium and with the confirmation of Buffon's exit today, the rumours are expected to get even more.
Given his height, long reach & quick reflexes, the Italian youth international could prove to be a big hit for the Bianconeri and guarantee them a potentially world-class presence between the posts for many years to come.
#3 Sergio Rico (Sevilla)
Rico may be the antithesis of Buffon in terms of height and temperament but in terms of quality, they are very similar.
While the Italian great is renowned for his fiery passion and leadership mentality which sees him barking orders at outfield players during matches, the Spanish international is a calmer type who speaks softly and goes about his business with the minimum of fuss.
Excellent at distribution as well as marshaling a backline, the Seville native would make an excellent long-term replacement for Buffon and with his ball-playing skills may help Juve circumvent Spanish opposition in the Champions League which have proven to be a difficult nut to crack for the Bianconeri in recent seasons
A vastly experienced goalie who has consistently kept goal for Sevilla in Champions League & La Liga matches, these experiences would serve him well in adjusting to the demands of being the number one at a club like Juve and while he was inexplicably dropped by Vincenzo Montella at Sevilla this season (a grievous offence), he has been very impressive this season when he has been called upon.
He signed an extension last year to stay in Seville till 2021 but his buyout clause of €40m is not one that will scare off Juventus' chairman Andrea Agnelli.
#2 Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan)
The golden boy of goalkeeping at the top echelon of European football, big things have been expected from the youngster ever since his 6 ft 5 frame was sighted in goal for the Rossoneri during a Serie A game against Sassuolo in 2015.
Agile, fast off his feet with a good command of his penalty area and the ability to make superlative saves look routine, “Gigio” definitely looks to be headed to the top of world football and his signing would represent the dream Italian signing for Juventinos.
In Donnarumma, Juve will be getting a youngster who while already very good has the ability to become the greatest goalkeeper in the history of the Bianconeri eclipsing even legends like Buffon, Dino Zoff, Angelo Peruzzi among others.
After the controversial signing of Leonardo Bonucci by the Milan club, a deal for Donnarumma would be anything but straightforward and would invoke a lot of passion on both sides
He will definitely not come cheap as a sale will beat the goalkeeping world-record transfer fee currently held by Manchester City's Ederson but given his youth and potential, it could be seen as a bargain in the next couple of years.
#1 Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid)
Fresh from winning the Europa League title last night, the last thing Atletico Madrid's manager Diego Simeone would want is more speculation about his star goalie but like a goldfish, there is no hiding place for the genius of the Slovenian shot-stopper.
Like they have done with strikers and goalkeepers for the best part of two decades, Atleti struck gold when they got the tall Slovenian international to switch to the Spanish capital from Liga NOS giants SL Benfica in 2014 for what now seems a bargain fee of €16 million (a fee made him the most expensive goalie of all time in La Liga).
An excellent shot-stopper who commands his defence efficiently and is able to initiate counter attacks with his long kicks and throws, Oblak is one of the few goalies who would step into the Juventus team and the rhythm would keep going as he is at the same world-class level as Buffon (some insist he is even better).
His goalkeeping has gone up a notch this season and Atleti will be desperate to hang on to him but given the fact that La Liga insists on buyout clauses for all players in the league, if the Bianconeri can come to an arrangement with Oblak, the deal might happen.
