Real Madrid Join Race For Jan Oblak

Real Madrid are ready to enter the race for Jan Oblak, having already moved in for Theo Hernandez from rivals Atletico Madrid this summer.

Oblak is being hotly pursued by Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Manchester United, as they prepare to see their present first-choice goalkeepers potentially leave this summer.

But now, Real Madrid have also entered the race for the Slovenian, Goal has reported. The Spanish giants are looking to replace Keylor Navas this summer, and their interest in David De Gea and Thibaut Courtois was primarily the reason United and Chelsea began looking at Oblak.

De Gea and Courtois remain Zinedine Zidane’s priority targets, but if Real fail to lure both of them to the Bernabeu, they will then turn their attention towards Oblak, who has emerged as another option. However, signing the former Benfica man might prove even tougher for Los Blancos.

The 24-year-old is reported to have a release clause worth €100 million. It is unlikely that Atletico will lower this price, especially when dealing with their local arch-rivals.

A compromise could be achieved through a part-exchange deal, however, with Diego Simeone needing a new keeper if Oblak leaves, and possibly even a striker, if Antoine Griezmann is snapped up by United.

The Red Devils themselves are in pole position to sign the Slovenian international as well. They have made the most progress of the interested clubs. This is because De Gea is Zidane and Florentino Perez’s favoured target, and it is very likely the Spaniard himself wants the move.

Real Madrid management might be tempted to move for Oblak themselves directly, in case negotiations with the Premier League giants prove as difficult as earlier. This would see the keeper join Theo Hernandez, who is currently on loan at Alaves, as the duo moves from Atletico to Real in the summer.