cover photo from Getty Images
It’s no secret that Zack Steffen is climbing the ranks at Manchester City. He’s currently projected to be Manchester City’s backup going into the 2020-21 season. However there are a number of up and coming goalkeepers who are in their early twenties are already threatening to unseat their elders. Here’s a quick survey on some promising young goalkeepers to see how Zack Steffen fits in with his peers.
Dean Henderson (Manchester United / England)
For years David De Gea has been the one shining light in a struggling Manchester United side, as adept at shot-stopping as he is at distributing the ball with his feet. Unfortunately for the Spanish international his form took a notable dip during the 19/20 Premier League campaign, this despite the Red Devils starting to make it back into the soccer parlays of many fans. In contrast, the young Dean Henderson was out on loan at surprise package Sheffield United, where many praised him for consistently outperforming De Gea, giving Ole Gunnar Solskjær plenty to ponder during the shortened summer break. The upshot of it all is that Henderson has just been handed a new deal, making it clear that the red half of Manchester view him as their long-term option between the sticks. Henderson fit into Sheffield United’s system well but the jump to Manchester United will require being able to sit for 89 minutes and then make a massive save in the 90th. If Henderson can handle the pressure, don’t be surprised if an exit is paved for David de Gea.
Andrei Radu (Inter Milan / Romania)
This Romanian wonder kid has been wowing everyone with his shot-stopping skills for at least a couple of seasons, being sent out on loan on a consistent basis by Inter, who will probably now look to bring him properly into the fold at the San Siro. The 23-year-old struggled to hold the starting spot for Genoa, to which Inter recalled him for a new loan in the spring. However, his second loan, this time with Parma, was even less fruitful as he sat the bench for most of his time there. There’s no doubt Radu has the ability to make an extraordinary save but dethroning legendary goalkeeper Samir Handanovic will require consistency and handling the simple saves with confidence, which he struggled to do last season.
Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao / Spain)
photo: Rex Features
David De Gea is being pressured on all fronts, because while his position as Manchester United’s number one might be under threat, so too is his national team jersey, with Unai Simón’s performances for the U21 squad and Athletic Bilbao marking him out as a keeper already worth in the region of €30 million. This was all backed up by him holding out for a bumper new five-year deal with the club from the Basque country. Simón is following in Kepa’s footsteps by earning a starting spot at Atletico Bilbao but hopefully Simón will have a more successful time - on which he’ll likely leave for a large transfer fee - at his next club than Kepa has had thus far.
Gianluigi Donnarumma – (AC Milan / Italy)
photo: Getty Images
Italy is always a rich hunting ground for clubs searching for top goalkeeping talent, so it comes as no surprise that the likes of Chelsea are pursuing AC Milan’s Gianluigi Donnarumma before he has even had a chance to turn 22 years of age. With Kepa struggling for form and the promise of Champions League football on offer at the London club, Donnarumma may be tempted to go and claim the gloves at Stamford Bridge. Although his large frame will serve him well, the EPL is built on power and speed so Donnarumma’s jump from Italy to England won’t be kind to clumsy mobility, which he’s shown at times last year.
Alexander Nübel – (Bayern Munich / Germany)
You can do a lot worse than following in the footsteps of Oliver Kahn and Manuel Neuer, and that is exactly what Alexander Nübel looks set to do, having signed for Bayern Munich in the summer after impressing for Schalke 04. After the 8-2 trashing over Barcelona and fellow German goalkeeper Marc ter Stegen, Neuer looked like he found the fountain of youth by playing as fluid and aggressive as ever. Although the 23-year-old’s rise to the starting spot may have been delayed a bit with Neuer’s resurgence, it’s something that feels inevitable at this point.
Zack Steffen – (Manchester City / USA)
Zack Steffen jumps to the number two spot with Claudio Bravo exiting Manchester City. Although some have complained about the lack of games Steffen is likely to see this upcoming season, the highly competitive environment will demand more from the American goalkeeper who has easily won the number one position at every previous stop. Steffen has shown signs of the technical ability to play out of the back, but the decision making has been lacking at various stages in his career. If Steffen can play the front-footed highly possession-oriented football Pep is wanting, he might have a chance to don the sky blue jerseys before long.