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Sat 12 March 2022 | 11:30

Best Serie A goalkeepers of 2021

Who were the best Serie A goalkeepers in 2021? Which of these top performers got to achieve something for their efforts at the end of the year that passed? Follow us below as we take a look at the careers of these great footballers and get to see how they have fared so far in the new season.

Another year of beautiful football is behind us now and we can look back to reminisce about all the incredible moments that we lived through and witnessed throughout the year. Europe’s top-five leagues have always been a joy to watch as there is no shortage of amazing moments and thrilling games in these leagues. The Italian Serie A is one of the top league in Europe and the whole world and we are treated to one of the most intense rivalries in football history in the current season.

Several teams are racing for the league title itself, which is why their respective players will have to be in form all day every day. While the forwards and midfielders usually get the plaudits and attract the attention of football enthusiasts while being under the spotlight, goalkeepers silently do their job and help their sides prevail with their phenomenal saves.

That is why we have decided to take a look at the Italian top-flight to see who the

best Serie A goalkeepers of 2021

were in order to better appreciate their efforts and the work that they have done so far in the new season.

Surely you too are eager to find out who the greatest Serie A goalkeepers in 2021 are as the intensity increases in the league and it gets tougher and tougher for goalies to keep clean sheets. So read on as we provide detailed information about the careers of these top performers and get to see how they and their respective teams have fared so far in the current season.

Serie A best goalkeepers in 2021

We have always witnessed world-class goalkeepers grace the pitch at Italian clubs. From Napoli’s wall of a goalie David Ospina, to Juventus’ Wojciech Szczesny and Bologna’s impressive shot-stopper Lukasz Skorupski, there are many great talents on the list of best Serie A goalkeepers of 2021.

While not all of these goalkeepers managed to lift a trophy or receive an award for their efforts in the year that passed, they still managed to attract some attention for their incredible performance throughout the year. So without further ado, here is everything you need to know about these well-performing goalies and their respective careers so far.

Lukasz Skorupski

  • Team: Bologna

  • Market value: €4M

First on the list of

best Serie A goalkeepers of 2021

is Bologna’s Lukasz Skorupski, who has been an excellent goalie for his Italian club since his arrival from AS

Roma

back in 2018. Skorupski initially started his professional career back in Poland with Gornik Zabrze. He rose to prominence as a promising talent when he joined Roma for a little less than a million Euros in the summer of 2013 and went on to gain further experience by spending some time on loan at Empoli.

Skorupski’s 2-year loan at Empoli readied him for his next destination, which was obviously

Bologna

, who paid €9 million to acquire his services from AS Roma only a year after his return. The Poland international’s performance at Bologna has been outstanding this season and even though he has conceded 42 goals in 26 league games, he has still managed to keep 8 clean sheets in the process, which is amongst the best records in the league.

Bologna are currently 12th in the Serie A with 32 points in 26 league games and have the chance to lift themselves up the league table with a couple of good performances. Their main rivals are Torio, Sassuolo and Empoli, who roam the same area of the league table and race to acquire a better position in the coming weeks. As one of the best Serie A goalkeepers in 2021, Skorupski is well capable of helping his side cement their position on the league table, which is why the 30-year-old’s market value stands at around €4 million.

Vanja Milinkovic-Savic

  • Team: Torino

  • Market value: €4.5M

Vanja Milinkovic-Savic is undoubtedly a scary fella and the Serbian uses that fact to his advantage in every game. Originally born in Spain, the 25-year-old is an absolute giant of a goalkeeper with a 2.02 meter height and he might be able to reach the most unreachable corners of the goal without even diving.

The Serbia international has already played for numerous clubs throughout his career, including Vojvodina,

Manchester United

, Lechia Gdansk, SPAL, Ascoli, Standard Liege and of course Torino. He had to gain so much experience before earning the right to become Torino’s main goalkeeper after signing for the Italian side back in 2017. Milinkovic-Savic might be taller than a normal footballer, but he lacks the agility and speed needed to save multiple attempts one after another.

That is why he has failed to keep moreclean sheets throughout the season. Of course that does not mean that the Serbian goalie is not good enough to be on the list of

best Serie A goalkeepers of 2021

. Quite the contrary, the young and promising footballer has proven to be a solid and consistent shot-stopper for

Torino

in the second half of the year that passed. He has only conceded 28 goals in 25 league appearances in the 2021-22 season, which is an impressive feat for someone who plays for a mid-table side rather than the top-four in the league.

Torino are currently just above Bologna with 33 points in 26 games so far and that means that the rivalry between the two clubs could one day turn into a rivalry between Milinkovic-Savic and Skorupski. We will have to wait and see who prevails in the end as nothing can be predicted in football.

Pietro Terracciano

  • Team: ACF Firoentina

  • Market value: €1M

Next on the list of best

Serie A goalkeepers in 2021

is Pietro Terracciano, who might not have much of an interesting market value, but is one of the most effective goalies in the Italian top-flight. Terracciano joined Fiorentina from Empoli on a free transfer deal back in 2019. He initially started his career at ASG Nocerina and went on to spend some time at several clubs including AS Avellino, Catania, Salernitana, Empoli and now

Fiorentina

.

The Italian spent half a season on loan at Firoentina before joining them on a permanent deal and has since been an integral part of the club. The 31-year-old was not deployed much in the 2020-21 season, but he has more than made up for the lost time by making 20 appearances in the league so far, during which he has managed to keep 4 clean sheets, conceding 32 goals in the process.

Fiorentina are currently battling for a place in next season’s European tournaments as they currently sit eighth on the league table with 42 points in 26 league games. They have the opportunity to push on for a better position in the Italian top-flight as they can still catch up to Roma, Atalanta and maybe even Juventus if everything goes their way. Of course a lot of that pressure falls on the shoulders of Pietro Terracciano, who is expected to keep the ball out of the net as much as he can.

Being on the list of Serie A best goalkeepers in 2021, Terracciano’s current market value is believed to be around a million Euros and it is doubtful it will increase in the coming months. However, footballers like the former Empoli man simply focus on getting results rather than improving their own stats.

Juan Musso

  • Team: Atalanta

  • Market value: €20M

Atalanta

have been one of the top-five clubs in the top-tier of Italian football for many years and that is why they have to sign quality players in order to compete with other great teams in Italy. With that in mind, Atalanta signed Juan Musso from Udinese Calcio for €20 million in the 2021 summer transfer window and added to their squad depth a world-class goalkeeper with a lot of potential.

Musso initially started his career at Racing Club back in Argentina and gained prominence as a talented and promising goalie after joining Udinese for €4 million in 2018. It took him three years to convince Atalanta to pay such a hefty fee for his services and that is why he has been putting everything he has got in order to prove to his supporters that he is worth every single penny spent to bring him into the club.

Juan Musso might not have been a part of Atalanta in the first half of 2021, but he was still playing in the Italian top-flight while at Udinese. While we can analyze his stats at both clubs, the Argentine has been so good that taking a look at his stats since the summer transfer window is enough to put him on the list of

greatest Serie A goalkeepers in 2021

. Musso has made a total of 23 league appearances this season and has managed to keep 7 clean sheets in the process, while only conceding 26 goals since his arrival.

His league performance easily outshine his performance in other major competitions, which might be due to the fact that the Argentina international prefers to focus on the league instead of other tournaments. Being one of the best Serie A goalkeepers of 2021, Musso can help his side retain their position amongst the top-3 in the league and that is why the Gli Orobici I Nerazzurri are counting on their 27-year-old goalie to deliver the best of performances every week.

Wojciech Szczesny

  • Team: Juventus

  • Market value: €15M

Few people get to claim that they are the best in the world and even fewer people actually deserve to claim such a bold statement. But perhaps Wojciech Szczesny did not receive the memo about that fact when he claimed that he is the best goalkeeper in the world just because he benched an aging Gianluigi Buffon. While the Polish goalie’s statement was absolutely daring, he might at least be one of the best in the business as after all, he is playing for one of the most decorated clubs in the world.

Szczesny used to be a part of Arsenal’s squad back in 2010, for whom he played for more than five years before going on to spend some time on loan at AS Roma. It was at Roma that Szczesny blossomed into his full potential and attracted the attention of several big clubs in Europe. That is why Juventus came in knocking on

Arsenal

’s door with a bag full of cash as they managed to sign the Polish goalkeeper for €18 million in the summer of 2017.

Throughout the years, Szczesny has been phenomenal for the Bianconeri and has achieved so much with one of the top clubs in the Italian top-flight. Even though

Juventus

have lost their grip over the Scudetto in the past couple of seasons, the Poland international is still considered to be one of the best in the business and he actually lived up to the billing by proving that he was one of the best Serie A goalkeepers of 2021 by keeping 6 clean sheets in 30 games, conceding 32 goals in the process.

Juventus currently sit fourth on the league table with 50 points in 27 league games and they seem to be back on track once again after their sudden dip in form following Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure in the summer transfer window. Given the fact that Szczesny has conceded 21 goals in 24 league appearances this season, it is obvious that he is going to play a vital role in his club’s efforts to get back on top.

As one of the greatest Serie A goalkeepers in 2021, the former Arsenal goalkeeper’s market value is believed to be around €15 million, which could rise once again following his phenomenal performance in the league this season.

Samir Handanovic

  • Team: Inter

  • Market value: €2.5M

Samir Handanovic has certainly aged like fine wine as he is still one of the most effective and solid goalkeepers in the Italian top-flight at the age of 37. The Slovenian is an icon and a legend at Inter as he has played for the Nerazzurri since 2012. He joined Inter from Udinese Calcio for €15 million after spending several seasons on loan at clubs such as

Lazio

, Treviso and Rimini. Inter are the reigning champions in the Serie A and are trying to retain their title as champions once again at the end of the season.

They are currently in an intense and jaw-dropping race with AC Milan and Napoli, who are all unbelievably close with almost no difference in point or goal difference ratios. Handanovic is one of the main reasons why

Inter

have managed to scrape points from several games this season as he has helped his side clutch a victory or keep things equal on many occasions.

That is why he has only concede 22 goals in 26 league appearances this season, while keeping 11 clean sheets in the process. These stats are without a doubt more than enough to put the 37-year-old amongst the best Serie A goalkeepers of 2021. The former Udinese man is actually Inter’s main captain right now and he is surely aiming to lead his teammates towards lifting another Scudetto at the end of the season.

Rui Patricio

  • Team: AS Roma

  • Market value: €8M

Next on the list of

Serie A best goalkeepers in 2021

is Rui Patricio, who has been an integral part of Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma since the Portuguese manager’s arrival in the summer of 2021. Mourinho convinced his club’s board to sign Patricio from Wolverhampton Wanderers for €11 million in the summer transfer window and the signing has certainly paid off.

The Portuguese goalkeeper rose to prominence as

Sporting CP

’s main goalie back in 2008. He went on to spend ten years at his home nation, before finally joining Wolves for €18 million in 2018. Goalkeepers are usually the last ones to decline as they have it easier stamina-wise. That is why the 34-year-old is still in great shape and has proven to be a great addition to Roma’s roster. He has been their main goalkeeper in the Serie A with 27 appearances so far, during which he has kept 10 clean sheets, while conceding 34 goals in the process.

Mourinho is still experimenting with his side’s mentality and work-rate, but one thing that is clear about his decisions is the fact that the Portugal international is his one and only goalkeeper for the time being. Roma did not get to finish in a European tournament spot in the 2020-21 season, which is why they lost their chance to compete in such competitions this time around.

However, the former Real Madrid manager’s arrival seems to have changed all that as they are currently pushing on for a chance to finish the season in a Champions League spot. Even though there is still a chance that they could once again fail to qualify for European tournaments, Rui Patricio’s solid and consistent performance in goal will certainly prove useful in the coming weeks.

Gianluigi Donnarumma

  • Team: Paris Saint-Germain

  • Market value: €65M

“Hold on, I thought you were going to provide details about the best goalkeepers in the Italian top-flight.” Yes, we are talking about the best Serie A goalkeepers of 2021 and that is exactly why we have to give a shout-out to Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was so good during his days at AC Milan that he still gets to be mentioned amongst the best goalies in Italy.

Donnarumma was a vital part of AC Milan in the 2020-21 season, half of which was in the year that passed. He made a total of 37 league appearances for AC Milan and managed to keep 14 clean sheets in the process while only conceding 38 goals.

These stats were quite incredible for a 22-year-old and that is why

Paris Saint-Germain

were quick to swoop in and sign the Italian wonderkid on a free transfer deal after his success at Euro 2020 with Italy. Donnarumma’s current market value is believed to be around €65 million, which is way higher than any other goalie’s market value.

Mike Maignan

  • Team: AC Milan

  • Market value: €25M

Some might have thought that

AC Milan

were going to struggle after Donnarumma’s departure in the summer transfer window. But nothing particular happened with the Italian goalkeeper’s departure as the Rossoneri were quick to replace him with yet another incredibly talented shot-stopper. Milan signed Mike Maignan from LOSC Lille for €14 million and gave him the vacant place in a heartbeat. Maignan was the one who helped Lille lift the Ligue 1 title against all odds while everyone thought Paris Saint-Germain were going to win yet another league title in the 2020-21 season.

Since his arrival, the French goalkeeper has managed to solidify AC Milan’s defenses with his consistency in goal. He already has 8 clean sheets to his name and has only conceded 19 goals in 21 appearances so far. With a market value of €25 million, Maignan is a great investment on Milan’s side as they aim to finally lift the Scudetto this season. They failed to win the league last season as Inter managed to beat them to the trophy in the last weeks of the campaign.

This time, however, AC Milan are pushing with great intensity as they are currently second in the league with 57 points in 27 league games. Maignan’s solid performance in goal will certainly play a vital role in Milan’s next few games. He will forever be remembered by the club’s supporters if he manages to help his side become Serie A champions at the end of the season.

David Ospina

  • Team: Napoli

  • Market value: €5M

Mike Maignan is only one of the best Serie A goalkeepers of 2021, who have the potential to finally gift the Serie A title to their club, and there are many others who can do the same. One of these great talents is David Ospina, who is on the verge of becoming Serie A champion with SSC Napoli.

Napoli

signed the Colombia international from Arsenal for €3.5 million in 2019 and he has been a vital part of the Italian club since his arrival.

Ospina has managed to keep 11 clean sheets while conceding 17 goals in the process of 23 league games this season, which is an absolutely phenomenal record for a goalkeeper of his caliber. Napoli are currently top of their respective league and are one of the main title contenders. That is why the Colombian goalkeeper will have to be on his toes week-in week-out in order to help his side emerge victorious at the end of the current season.

These were the best Serie A goalkeepers of 2021 and we are eagerly waiting to see which of these top performers could prove effective enough to be included in next year’s list of best goalkeepers as well. For the time being, however, we are monitoring the top teams in the Serie A to see who can lift the Scudetto at the end of the campaign.

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