Manchester United are being tipped to join Chelsea in the chase to sign Jan Oblak but Atletico Madrid will demand £109m for the goalkeeper this summer, according to the Daily Mail.
Oblak has forged a reputation as one of the best keepers in world football since joining Atletico from Benfica in 2014 and he’s kept an unbelievable 139 clean sheets in his 256 appearances for the La Liga outfit.
However, the 27-year-old is unsettled at the Metropolitano Stadium as the Daily Mail claims Oblak is eyeing a new challenge in the Premier League after being left unhappy at some of the decision being made at board level in Madrid.
The situation has led to interest from Chelsea and the newspaper says Oblak is aware the Blues are keen to sign him this summer as Frank Lampard looks to bring in a reliable number one to aid their title push next season.
Kepa Arrizabalaga’s future is in serious doubt as he’s been heavily criticised for a number of errors this campaign and Chelsea could try to use the Spaniard as a make-weight in any potential deal for Oblak.
However, the West Londoners may face stiff competition as the Daily Mail claims Oblak is expecting Manchester United to join Chelsea in the race for his signature this summer.
David De Gea’s form has dropped significantly over the past 18 months and it’s led to calls for Dean Henderson to be promoted to United’s No.1 next season following a hugely impressive loan spell at Sheffield United.
However, the Daily Mail says there are reservations among the hierarchy at Old Trafford that Henderson isn’t ready to be first choice at Man Utd due to the 23-year-old’s relative inexperience at the highest level.
It appears United could now be targeting a blockbuster move to sign Oblak but a major obstacle could be finding a buyer for De Gea as there will be very few clubs able to afford his £360,000-a-week wages on top of a large transfer fee.
The Red Devils could try to offer De Gea as part-exchange for Oblak, however, the Daily Mail says Atletico Madrid favour a straight cash deal and will demand the full value of his £109m release clause – which would be a world record fee for a keeper.
We’ll have to wait and see if Chelsea or United will be prepared to pay that king of money for Oblak but there is no doubt the Slovenian international would be a superb addition to either squad if a deal could be agreed.
