A goalkeeper is the most influential player on a football pitch.
We only have to cast our minds back to the Champions League Final two seasons ago to see how catastrophic a bad 'keeper can be for your side and your hopes of any silverware.
Instead of settling for players like Loris Karius or Simon Mignolet, opting for a younger keeper who can blossom into one of the world's best is the way to go.
How to choose the best young Goalkeepers (GK) for FIFA 20 Career Mode
These goalkeepers are all aged between 20-24 at the start of FIFA 20 Career Mode.
They all have a starting overall of at least 75, with the potential to reach at least 80. Due to their bright futures, expect to fork out a pretty penny for these goalies, especially if they are already playing for some of the top clubs in Europe.
Head to the end of this page for a full list of all the best young GKs on FIFA 20.
Gianluigi Donnarumma (OVR 85 - POT 92)
Age: 20
Club: AC Milan
Country: Italy
Best Stats: 90 GK Diving, 90 GK Reflexes, 80 GK Handling
Value: £37.4 million (Release clause: £71 million)
Wage: £30,000 a week
Young Italian Gianluigi Donnarumma has been AC Milan's first team goalkeeper for a while now and remains one of the hottest young prospects in Europe.
He is the only goalkeeper under the age of 23 to have a potential of over 90.
If you are using a team with a lot of money behind you (Manchester City or Barcelona etc.) then Donnarumma is the ideal candidate for a transfer.
Kepa Arrizabalaga (OVR 84 - POT 89)
Age: 24
Club: Chelsea
Country: Spain
Best Stats: 86 GK Kicking, 85 GK Reflexes, 84 GK Diving
Value: £27.9 million (Release clause: £55.1 million)
Wage: £83,000 a week
Chelsea kept 14 Premier League clean sheets last season, the third most in the division. It was a fantastic maiden campaign for Chelsea following his record £72 million move from Athletic Bilbao - a League Cup final tantrum aside.
On FIFA 20, the Spanish international is set to become one of the finest goalkeepers on the planet, with his 84 overall able to rise to 89. That may just tempt you to splash the cash on his £55.1 million release clause and £83,000 a week wages.
Pau Lopez (OVR 83 - POT 88)
Age: 24
Club: Roma
Country: Spain
Best Stats: 84 GK Reflexes, 83 GK Handling, 82 GK Diving
Value: £23.4 million (Release clause: £41.5 million)
Wage: £34,000 a week
Pau Lopez has just made a £21 million move from Real Betis to Roma, which looks to be an absolute bargain. The once-capped Spanish international kept 10 clean sheets in the league last season, putting him ahead of the likes of Sergio Asenjo (Villarreal) and Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid).
Lopez's stats of 84 GK Reflexes, 83 GK Handling and 82 GK Diving see him rated at 83 on FIFA 20, which can rise to a potential of 88. You won't be able to sign him until January where you will need a bid in excess of £32 million for the 24-year-old.
Andre Onana (OVR 82 - POT 87)
Age: 23
Club: Ajax
Country: Cameroon
Best Stats: 86 GK Kicking, 84 GK Diving, 83 GK Reflexes
Value: £19.8 Million (Release clause: £29.2 million)
Wage: £16,000 a week.
Last season spoke for itself as every Ajax player over achieved their expectations by reaching the semi-final of the Champions League, with Andre Onana perhaps one of their unsung heroes.
The Cameroon's overall rises from 78 to 82, with the potential to hit 87 in Career Mode. With stats of 86 GK Kicking, 84 GK Diving and 83 GK Reflexes already, it's almost a no-brainer to move for his £29.2 million release clause.
Thomas Strakosha (OVR 82 - POT 87)
Age: 24
Club: Lazio
Country: Albania
Best Stats: 87 GK Reflexes, 84 GK Diving, 79 GK Positioning
Value: £19.8 million (Release clause: £35.1 million)
Wage: £35,000 a week
Three clean sheets in seven Serie A games so far this season is a solid start to the campaign for Lazio stopper Thomas Strakosha. The Albanian stepped up into the Lazio starting lineup midway through the 16/17 season, meaning he has plenty of experience behind him at such a young age.
On FIFA 20, his 82 overall his made up by 87 GK Reflexes, 84 GK Diving and 79 GK Positioning. With an 87 potential coming in the years ahead, the 24-year-old Stakosha is a 'keeper you must consider.
Mike Maignan (OVR 80 - POT 87)
Age: 23
Club: Lille
Country: France
Best Stats: 83 GK Reflexes, 79 Reactions, 78 GK Positioning
Value: £14.4 million (Release clause: £30.2 million)
Wage: £25,000 a week
Mike played 38 games for Lille last season, enhancing his reputation and seeing his FIFA overall rise by five over the last 12 months.
Starting at 80 OVR means that he can start for most teams that you do your Career Mode with. The Frenchman has decent reflexes (83), reactions (79) and positioning (78), which will see him cost around £25 million.
Dominik Livakovic (OVR 80 - POT 86)
Club: Dinamo Zagreb
Age: 23
Country: Croatia
Transfer Value: £14 million (Release clause: £33.5 million)
Wage: £900 a week
Best Stats: 82 GK Reflexes, 80 GK Diving, 80 Reactions
Dominik Livakovic most recently started in Dinamo Zagreb's 4-0 beating of Serie A side Atalanta.
The Croatian's best stats are both above 80 overall and can reach up to 86 OVR making him a solid young prospect.
The standout reason you need to purchase this player is simply because of his current wages. His £900 a week wage will increase but gives you plenty of leeway moving forward.
Alban Lafont (OVR 79 - POT 88)
Age: 20
Club: Nantes (on loan from Fiorentina)
Country: France
Best Stats: 83 GK Reflexes, 80 GK Diving, 77 GK Handling
Value: £14 million
Wage: £14,000 a week
Alban Lafont has started five games for Nantes this season and has only conceded two goals in those five games.
The Frenchman is also on loan from Serie A side Fiorentina and can only enter negotiations after the first season is completed.
He has kept three clean sheets already and is showing promise in real life as well as potential in FIFA 20. We believe he is definitely worth the £22 million purchase for your Career Mode side.
Alex Meret (OVR 78 - POT 89)
Age: 22
Club: Napoli
Country: Italy
Best Stats: 82 GK Reflexes, 79 GK Diving, 77 GK Positioning
Value: £12.6 million (Release clause: £23.9 million)
Wage: £32,000 a week
Youngster Alex Meret recently featured in the Champions League opening game against last year's winners Liverpool. The 22-year-old was able to keep a clean sheet and showed he was able enough to perform at the highest level.
82 GK Reflexes, 79 GK Diving and 77 GK Positioning give the Italian a 78 overall, which can rise to a potential of 89 and even beyond. You can pick him up forjust over £20 million, a great price given his bright future.
Emil Audero (OVR 77 - POT 87)
Age: 22
Club: Sampdoria
Country: Italy
Best Stats: 80 GK Diving, 80 GK Reflexes, 75 Reactions
Value: £10.4 million (Release clause: £19.7 million)
Wage: £19,000 a week
Emil Audero has featured in seven Serie A games and one Coppa Italia games this season, but has only kept the one clean sheet.
His current 77 OVR could fit into many Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1 teams quite comfortably. If you are not looking to splash the cash on a starting goalkeeper, then the Italian may be the answer to your problems.
If you start him in your team, he will probably reach a higher overall quicker. A bid of around £15 million should get you your man.
READ MORE: PES 2020 vs FIFA 20 - Who is winning the Football war?
Name | Age | Club | Country | OVR | POT | V | W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G.
Donnarumma | 20 | AC Milan | Italy | 85 | 92 | £37.4m | £30k |
Kepa | 24 | Chelsea | Spain | 84 | 89 | £27.9m | £83k |
Pau López | 24 | Roma | Spain | 83 | 88 | £23.4m | £34k |
A.
Onana | 23 | Ajax | Cameroon | 82 | 87 | £19.8m | £16k |
T.
Strakosha | 24 | Lazio | Albania | 82 | 87 | £19.8m | £35k |
M.
Maignan | 23 | Lille | France | 80 | 87 | £14.4m | £25k |
D.
Livaković | 23 | Dinamo Zagreb | Croatia | 80 | 86 | £14m | £900 |
A.
Lafont | 20 | Nantes* | France | 79 | 88 | £14m | £14k |
A.
Meret | 22 | Napoli | Italy | 78 | 89 | £12.6m | £32k |
E.
Audero | 22 | Sampdoria | Italy | 77 | 87 | £10.4m | £19k |
READ MORE: All the best young CMs to sign on FIFA 20 Career Mode
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