Reports: PSG bid €60m for La Liga star
Paris Saint-Germain are all set to break another transfer record
What's the story?
Atletico Madrid have braced themselves for a staggering €60m bid for goalkeeper Jan Oblak, from Paris Saint-Germain, according to Spanish news outlet, SPORT. The Ligue 1 giants are keen on replacing current incumbents Kevin Trapp and Alphonse Areola with the Slovenian goalkeeper, although they may find this a difficult transfer to pull off considering that Atletico Madrid have a transfer ban, and Diego Simeone would be loathe to lose his first-choice goalkeeper, with only Carlos Moya and Axel Werner as backup.
Also Read: Top 10 goalkeepers of the 2016/17 season
In case you didn't know...
Jan Oblak already has previous when it comes to record fees - the Slovenian became the most expensive goalkeeper in La Liga history when he left Benfica to join Atletico Madrid in 2014, with the Rojiblancos parting with €16 million for his services. Despite a bad start to his career in Spain, Oblak has gone from strength to strength, making 113 appearances in all competitions for the La Liga giants.
The heart of the matter
The Slovenian is considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world, having kept a stunning 64 clean sheets in his Atletico Madrid career, which is 56% of the games in which he has appeared. Oblak also won the Ricardo Zamora trophy for the best goalkeeper of the 2015/16 season, equalling Deportivo La Coruna keeper Francisco Llano's 22-year-old record of only conceding 18 goals in 38 games.
Paris St-Germain are keen to reinforce their squad as they make a concerted effort for the UEFA Champions League title, having just signed Neymar Jr. from Barcelona for an eye-watering €222 million. The club's new Portuguese sporting director, Angelo Henrique is a huge fan of Oblak from his time in Benfica, and seeks to bring the Slovenian in as Kevin Trapp and Alphonse Areola are not deemed good enough.
Oblak has a release clause of €100 million though, which PSG cannot afford due to FFP restrictions. Atletico Madrid are unlikely to sell due to their transfer ban, a complication that was reportedly discussed in a meeting between Nasser El-Khelaifi and Miha Mlakar (Oblak's agent), according to reports in France.
Oblak had sparked rumours of a move last month, saying "In football you never know, even one day before the market closes news comes out."
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Author's Take:
Oblak's stunning statistics are perhaps a result of the stellar defence in front of him, although Kevin Trapp and Alphonse Areola are goalkeepers on which PSG can improve. Atletico have the experience of Moya, and €60m would be a world-record fee for a goalkeeper that could be intelligently used in January.