Atletico Madrid News
Tottenham, Manchester United interested in 29-year-old Atletico Madrid superstar
According to Nizaar Kinsella of the Evening Standard, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are considering a summer swoop for Atletico Madrid mainstay Jan Oblak in 2023.
The Slovenian international has been a permanent fixture in goal for Atletico for nearly a decade now and has established himself as one of Europe’s best in his position during that time.
A pivotal member of the team, Oblak has been linked with a move to the Premier League in the past as well. However, 2023 could finally see the 29-year-old secure a move to England as two heavyweights of Premier League are keen.
Tottenham Hotspur are putting together a long-term succession plan in place for club captain Hugo Lloris. The Frenchman will turn 36 in a couple of months and his contract will expire in 2024, meaning he will be in the final year of his contract next summer.
And Antonio Conte’s side are working to secure an heir for the goalkeeping spot, leading to their interest in Oblak. The report goes as far as saying that the Atletico Madrid shot-stopper has become the Lilywhites’ No. 1 target, with the club even sounding him out over a possible move.
However, Tottenham might have to face competition from Manchester United, who have been keeping tabs on Oblak for a long time and could make a push for him as a replacement for David de Gea.
The Spaniard is in the final year of his contract with the Red Devils and there is no guarantee as of yet that he will continue at Old Trafford. Hence, Manchester United have asked to be kept in the loop about any developments surrounding Oblak and his future.
The report adds that Atletico Madrid, for their part, would be open to selling the 29-year-old after having had him at the club since 2014.
Oblak signed a new contract this past summer, extending his ties with the club until 2028. However, despite that, Atleti might consider letting him go for a reasonable fee.
There had been interest from Chelsea as well in the past. And while there have been grumblings about Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga’s situation at Stamford Bridge, there is no indication that the Blues are pursuing Oblak.
As things stand, Tottenham are strongly interested in the 29-year-old while Manchester United are also keeping tabs on his situation.
There is no doubt that Atletico Madrid are bracing themselves for a busy summer ahead as they look to address the future of some of their star players. One of them is Saul Niguez, who has fallen out of favour under Diego Simeone and could leave the club.
A recent report from Mundo Deportivo has offered an update on the future of the Spaniard, suggesting that the player has once again become a market attraction.
The versatile star was on loan at Chelsea last season, but his spell at Stamford Bridge was far from ideal, as he featured in less than 500 minutes of league football. He returned to Atletico Madrid in the summer, and even though he wanted to leave the club, a move did not materialise.
Saul was even linked with a move away from Atleti in January. But Valencia, who were interested in him at the time, could not afford the deal, particularly because of the player’s salary and transfer fees.
The report from Mundo Deportivo states that Valencia have retained their interest in the player. But in addition to Los Che, Saul has been targeted by two other Spanish teams in the form of Rayo Vallecano and Sevilla.
Rayo have expressed the desire to sign Saul in the coming season. But they are likely to face economic difficulties in funding a move for the midfielder. The same can be said for Sevilla.
Saul’s current contract at Atletico Madrid expires in 2026, a deal that was agreed when the player was at his peak. But the long contract has now come back to haunt Atleti, as they desperately look to get rid of the Spanish international.
With his suitors likely to face financial trouble in weighing up a move, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for Saul in the coming summer.
Saul is not the only Atletico Madrid player facing an uncertain future, with Axel Witsel’s father also hinting at a possible exit recently.
