Manchester United have reportedly revived their interest in Atletico Madrid ace Jan Oblak and can follow it up with an ambitious move in 2022.
Jan Oblak’s future has once again become a contentious issue, and according to the Fichajes, he could be playing his final season for Atletico Madrid, with Manchester United and Juventus among the possible suitors waiting on wings to make an approach in 2022.
Since the Slovenian goalkeeper’s contract at Wanda Metropolitano expires on June 30, 2023, Los Rojiblancos may be forced to sell their no. 1 next summer if they cannot reach an agreement to extend his stay. It is understood that Oblak has a €100 million termination clause in his current deal, and the reigning La Liga champions are going to demand a transfer fee in a similar region.
This is not for the first time that Manchester United have been linked with a move for Oblak. Back in May this year, there were rumours of a potential swap deal with David de Gea going the other way. Paris Saint-Germain were the other party keen, but they ultimately decided to sign Italian sensation Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Since arriving from Benfica in 2014, Oblak has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the world under Diego Simeone. A colossal presence between the sticks, the 28-year-old boasts a phenomenal record for the Colchoneros, having preserved 163 clean sheets while only surrendering 219 goals from 313 appearances.
He is also a very consistent performer, making 37 or more league appearances in each of the last three seasons, while his save percentage has never dropped below 75% at Atletico Madrid. He also bailed out his side on numerous occasion’s in critical Champions League games with his excellent shot-stopping ability and commanding presence in the box.
Manchester United already have two very good goalkeepers in David de Gea and Dean Henderson. They also re-signed Tom Heaton to be the third-choice stopper over the summer.
David de Gea has been reinstated as the No. 1 at Old Trafford and has made a very strong start to the current campaign, with his notable, influential performances against Villarreal and West Ham enabling him to recover his tarnished reputation. Most recently, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer heaped praise for de Gea for the impact he has had on the squad after a string of excellent performances.
While there is no denying the fact that Oblak is a world-class goalkeeper, Manchester United are already well-stocked in the goalkeeping department, and the astronomical transfer fee involved might be too much for the Red Devils, especially when they are still in the market to sign a solid defensive midfielder to solve their glaring midfield issues.
Only time will tell if these rumours have any truth or not, but it would be sensible for Manchester United to stay away from signing a goalkeeper and instead use their resources in bringing a quality defensive midfielder to back their star-studded frontline, with Marcelo Brozovic among those on their radar.
