Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak has been the subject of interest from Chelsea ahead of the forthcoming summer transfer window.
The La Liga side are ready to part ways with the Slovenian as they are hunting for a younger alternative to replace their experienced custodian between the sticks. This is due to Atletico Madrid wanting to make wholesale changes to its squad after a disappointing 2023/24 La Liga campaign where they are fourth in the table, a staggering 20 points behind recently crowned champions Real Madrid.
Widely considered one of the best goalkeepers in world football, Jan Oblak, 31, has been with Atletico Madrid since 2014 and has clocked close to 450 appearances across all competitions. However, his spot in Diego Simeone’s side has changed as he is now no longer considered “untouchable”. It is understood the Spanish club want to trim the wage budget in the summer with the Slovenian international one of the highest earners, pocketing around £ 165,000 per week.
Oblak is contracted to Atletico until 2028 with a whooping release clause of £102m, but a market value closer to £30m. Chelsea are reportedly among the clubs looking to sign the 31-year-old, who has been linked with a move to the Premier League for many years.
Jan Oblak would be an excellent signing for Chelsea
Manchester United were tipped with a move for Oblak after releasing David de Gea at the end of last season. However, they ended up signing Andre Onana from Inter Milan. Liverpool have also previously shown an interest, while the Slovenian rejected an important offer from Saudi Arabia last summer to prolong his stay with Atletico.
If he is to leave the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, England would be Oblak’s preferred destination. His options in the Premier League are limited as Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur all have settled first-choice goalkeepers. This leaves Chelsea as a club that could explore the possibility of signing a new goalkeeper, having witnessed Robert Sanchez fail to impress since his arrival from Brighton and Hove Albion in 2023. Djordje Petrovic has deputised well for Sanchez, but in Oblak, the Pensioners could land a major upgrade on their current duo.
Oblak is a decorated goalkeeper in Spanish football and one of the historic players for Atletico, winning a La Liga title, Spanish Super Cup, Europa League and Europa League. As Los Rojiblancos are open to moving on their experienced No.1 and value him at around a measly £30m, Chelsea should be all over this signing when the transfer window reopens.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
