Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak is open to joining Manchester United, if David De Gea moves to Real Madrid in the summer.
According to a report in the Manchester Evening News, Jan Oblak could be tempted to move to Manchester United from Atletico Madrid at the end of the season – David De Gea joins Real Madrid in the summer.
Oblak joined Atletico Madrid from Benfica in 2014 and after initially struggling to become the club’s first choice shot stopper, he has blossomed into one of the best goalkeepers in the world in the last two seasons.
2016/17 has seen Atletico Madrid blow hot and cold for large parts of their campaign in La Liga, but the Slovenian still boasts an impressive record. The 24-year-old has played 28 matches across all competitions this season, keeping 15 clean sheets while conceding just 19 goals.
With his stock constantly on the rise, interest in Oblak has continued to grow as well, and the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal have been previously linked with a move for him.
However, it has now emerged that he could well be on his way to Manchester United in the summer. David De Gea is being heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid at the end of the season, with Los Blancos eager to finally land the Spain number one after failing to sign him in 2015.
Manchester United are unwilling to let go of one of their best players easily, and according to the latest reports, De Gea will only move away from Old Trafford if the Reds Devils fail to make it to the Champions League.
Should that eventually take place, Manchester United could be forced into the market for a top quality goalkeeper, which is why it is believed that Jose Mourinho has been identifying viable targets to poach in the summer.
One such target could be Oblak, a goalkeeper who was named the best shot stopper in La Liga last season which is an honour he could achieve this season as well. He would be a good fit at Old Trafford as well, with Oblak being adept at taking on aerial situations, while his shot stopping abilities are par-excellence.
A source close to the player has also confirmed that a move could be on the cards should De Gea move to the Spanish capital in the summer.
“I think for every player it is an honour to come to the UK and play for clubs like this one. A lot of top clubs from Europe wants the best goalkeeper in the world. In the UK, there are three of them who show an interest regarding Jan Oblak. If De Gea goes back to Spain, everything is possible.”
Thus, Manchester United could be in for some competition if they make a move for Oblak come June. And another stumbling block coming in their way could be his release clause, which has been set at a massive €100 million by Atletico Madrid.
Thus, Manchester United will have to break the world record transfer fee for a goalkeeper in order to land Oblak in the summer, and it now remains to be seen how things develop in the coming months, with everything depending on De Gea’s possible summer exit.
