Which keepers are surely too good to be warming the bench? There’s certainly a few with some high profile cases of veteran shot-stoppers being forced out of their roles by youngster upstarts whilst incredibly talented names in the limelight over the last few years have seen their stock recede dramatically.
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See who we think the 10 greatest back-up keeps are in the world below:
10) Pepe Reina – Bayern Munich
It seems strange Reina has gone from the a hero of Anfield, an undroppable star of the Liverpool XI one who Jamie Carragher once described as the best keeper in the world, to the Bayern Munich bench.
Granted, who wouldn’t want to join the Bundesliga giants with their embarrassment of playing riches and Pep Guardiola coaching them to boot but still a once world-class and respected keeper much now wait for the off-chance game to show he can still perform.
9) Maarten Stekelenburg – Monaco
An internationally capped shot-stopper who’s suffered a dramatic fall from the heights he reached in 2010 when he was keeping Spain at bay in the World Cup final.
The 32-year-old went from Ajax to Roma, inexplicably to Fulham and now finds himself on loan at the club in the Principality and it’s doubtful whether he will be able to work his way back to the top.
8) Jack Butland – Stoke City
It was clear the inexperienced Butland was never going to displace Asmir Begovic any time soon and his loan deal to Derby will certainly have helped his progression.
On his return he’s made three appearances for the Potters, all in the FA Cup, with no hint yet he will make a first team breakthrough.
7) Willy Caballero – Manchester City
After an impressive spell at Malaga, Caballero took the plunge and came to City with the express mission of displacing Joe Hart.
Why not? Costel Pantilimon did it last season for at least a few games.
However, after an appearance in the FA Community Shield, Caballero has made just six appearances, two each in the League and FA Cups and two in the Premier League.
6) Michael Agazzi – AC Milan
Yet to make an appearance for the Rossoneri after making the switch in the summer and it’s no wonder why with the Cagliari keeper has such trouble with both Christian Abiato and Diego Lopez in-line ahead of him.
With the keeper already 30-years-old you worry he might be wasting away potentially playable years on the Milan substitutes bench.
5) Michel Vorm – Tottenham Hotspur
A hit at Swansea that certainly saved the Welsh club’s bacon in several matches but the Dutchman elected to join Tottenham in the summer where, as you’d expect when up against a keeper as highly regarded as Hugo Lloris, he has only managed a few appearances.
His performance in the FA Cup that saw him almost throwing the ball in his own net and allowing Leicester into the fourth round might not see him starting many game at White Hart Lane for a while.
4) Wojciech Szczesny – Arsenal
Only a few months ago it would have been David Ospina in position but following Szczesny’s smoking faux-pas and a particularly worried performance against Southampton it seemed Arsene Wenger had enough of the Pole and elected to start the World Cup starring keeper, Ospina, he had bought in the summer.
Whilst the Colombia hasn’t been everyone’s cup of tea and has had to overcome a number of freak and extensive injuries, he’s now building a consistent run in the side and strengthen his claim to be Arsenal No. 1.
Szczesny meanwhile has had to be content with a role as benchwarmer supreme and Arsenal cup keeper.
3) Marc Andre ter Stegen – Barcelona
Barcelona’s purchase of both Claudio Bravo and ter Stegen following the departure of Victor Valdes was a clever move, acquiring two up-and-coming and highly regarded keepers.
So for Luis Enrique has determined to make one a Cup keeper and one for the League and unfortunately for the German he’s had the short straw of the Cups.
This would surely have been a particular blow to Stegen who was phenomenal in three season at Borussia Monchengladbach.
2) Keylor Navas – Real Madrid
His sensational World Cup saw him snapped up by the Spanish Giants but he has so far failed to make an impact despite the continually erratic for or Iker Casillas.
Navas may be slightly miffed he has so far been unable to get a consistent run in the team but will know there’s only so many gaffes the Real Madrid hierarchy will stomach from Iker.
1) Petr Cech – Chelsea
Had been number one at Chelsea for over a decade until the return of the hugely talented Thibaut Courtois from a loan at Atletico Madrid and the veteran shot-stopper was resigned to the bench.
Czech may look to exit Stamford Bridge this summer but it’s unclear just where he could go with Jose Mourinho reluctant to strengthen a rival.