Chelsea are interested in securing the services of Atletico Madrid keeper Jan Oblak this summer. According to recent reports, the Blues are keeping tabs on the La Liga shot-stopper with constant speculation linking Thibaut Courtois with a move away from Stamford Bridge. However, they will face stiff competition from Manchester United and Real Madrid in pursuit of the Slovenian international’s signature when the transfer window opens in the summer.
The 25-year-old signed for Atletico Madrid from Benfica in the summer of 2014 and has lit up the La Liga with some magnificent performances over the last few years. It is believed that the Blues are looking for a long-term replacement for Courtois and Oblak fits the bill perfectly. However, it won’t be easy to prise him away from the Spanish capital with Atletico Madrid set to demand a fee in excess of €100m for their prized asset.
Oblak can be considered as one of the best goalkeepers in European football which justifies why so many top clubs are interested in signing him this off-season. The Slovenian shot-stopped has featured in 39 matches for the La Liga outfit, conceding just 19 goals and keeping 24 clean sheets across all competitions.
The Blues are currently in the 5th position in the Premier League rankings with a tally of 57 points after Gameweek 33. Their chances of finishing in the top 4 are quite slim at the moment after their disappointing 1-1 draw at home to West Ham United. Antonio Conte’s team are in dire need to bring in some quality players in the summer to try and close the gap between themselves and their top 4 rivals next term.
The addition of a keeper of the calibre of Oblak will undoubtedly bolster their goalkeeping options ahead of the new campaign and will soften the blow of Courtois if the Belgian does end up leaving Stamford Bridge at the end of this season. The West London outfit have the likes of Thibaut Courtois, Willy Caballero, Eduardo Carvalho and Matej Delač vying for a place in the Blues first-team so the potential signing of Oblak will add more competition for places in their squad.
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At 25, the Slovenian international still has his peak years ahead of him which Chelsea could look to capitalise on in the coming years. It remains to be seen what lies ahead in the future of Oblak and whether he ends up making a switch to the Premier League in the near future.
