Tottenham Hotspur are planning a move for Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak in the summer transfer window. They could face competition from Manchester United, who are also keeping tabs on the Slovenian goalkeeper.
Tottenham are reportedly looking to find a replacement for veteran goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. The France international was handed a new two-year deal in January, but Tottenham seem to be looking for a long-term replacement.
Lloris is about to turn 36 before the end of the year. While he still remains the first choice for Antonio Conte, the goalkeeper cannot go on forever.
Lloris arrived at Tottenham from Lyon in 2012 and has been the club’s number one option since then. The Frenchman now, though, seems to be coming to the end of his career and has been troubled with several injuries.
The France international recently pulled out of the national squad because of a thigh injury. He’s in doubt for the high-intensity clash against Arsenal this weekend. His injury problems and age have forced Tottenham to search for options to replace their club captain.
Tottenham’s interest in Oblak
Tottenham have recognized Jan Oblak as the replacement for Hugo Lloris. Antonio Conte has enjoyed a good start to the season with the Spurs, with his side still unbeaten in the Premier League. Conte has been trying to reconstruct the Spurs side and is looking to find a suitable replacement between the sticks.
He has set his eyes on Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak as the long-term replacement to Hugo Lloris. The Slovenian has been one of the most sought-after goalkeepers in Europe for a long time.
Jan Oblak has successfully established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in La Liga and the world. He joined Atletico Madrid from Benfica in 2014 as a replacement for Thibaut Courtois. Courtois returned to Chelsea in 2014 after spending three years on loan at Atletico Madrid.
Oblak has over 350 appearances for Atletico since 2014. The 29-year-old has enjoyed several successful years with the Spanish club and has been their number one goalkeeping option in all these years.
He helped the club secure the La Liga title last year and also helped them reach the Champions League final in 2016.
The Slovenian international is one of the most respected goalkeepers in world football. It is hard to find a goalkeeper with better stats than him. Under Diego Simeone, Oblak has kept 177 clean sheets and has conceded just 275 goals.
He has long been linked with a move to the Premier League, with Chelsea also being one of the clubs to show interest.
A deal never materialized because of a £107 million release clause set by Atletico Madrid on the player. He is currently in a contract with Atletico until 2028 and is one of the highest-paid players in La Liga. However, the Spanish club now seems to be ready to let him go if a reasonable offer arrives.
Reports say that the asking price for the goalkeeper has been significantly lowered by the club. This might see interested clubs try to make contact with the player to lure him out of Spain.
Atletico are aware that they cannot hold on to the player forever, and now might be the right time to cash in on the opportunity. Oblak has been in demand for a long time from big Premier League clubs.
Manchester United also keeping tabs on Oblak
Manchester United are also interested in the Atletico Madrid goalkeeper as they are keeping close tabs on the situation. The Red Devils are concerned about the future of David de Gea as he’s yet to pen a new deal for the club.
The 31-year-old Spaniard’s contract expires at the end of the season. United are hoping to keep de Gea as he’s central to Erik ten Hag’s plans, but his stay isn’t guaranteed.
The club allowed Dean Henderson to join Nottingham Forest on a loan deal over the summer. The England international was reportedly unhappy about being the second-choice goalkeeper at the club. That leaves United with only de Gea at the helm.
If de Gea does decide to continue his stay, then United will most probably stop pursuing the option of Oblak. This would make things easier for Tottenham, who are the top contenders to sign the Slovenian.
