Aheed Abrar
Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak identified as replacement for David de Gea at Manchester United
Manchester United are interested in Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak to replace David de Gea in between the sticks. The club are planning to go after the 29-year-old next summer, according to Jeunes Footeux (h/t Manchester Evening News).
Oblak has established himself as one of the best shot-stoppers in football in his time with Los Rojiblancos. And the Red Devils are willing to pay over the top to get the Slovenian. The Manchester-based club are ready to offer the 29-year-old £15.6 million wages per season, double his current salary.
Joining Atletico in the summer of 2014, Oblak immediately made his presence felt in Diego Simeone’s side. The Madrid-based club have had top goalkeepers over the years, including Thibaut Courtois. And the Slovenian has been one of them.
United have previously done business with Los Colchoneros. Sir Alex Ferguson signed De Gea from the La Liga club back in 2011. The Spaniard has since gone on to become a key member of the Manchester-based club.
Dea Gea back to his best for United
De Gea’s start to life at United was shaky. The 31-year-old made some mistakes in his initial seasons. However, he soon developed into a world-class shot-stopper.
After the 2018 World Cup in Russia, De Gea seemed to have lost his confidence. The Spain international made some high-profile errors and was not at the peak of his powers.
Doubts crept in amongst the fanbase about the 31-year-old’s position in between the sticks. And with Dean Henderson waiting in the wings, people felt De Gea had a difficult task keeping the number one spot.
However, last season, the Spaniard showcased the qualities that have led to his name being uttered amongst the best. Subsequently, he once again became a regular. However, there are still question marks around the 31-year-old with regards to his distribution.
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Erik ten Hag evidently wants the team to play out from the back. For that to work, goalkeepers need to be good with their feet. However, it is not something De Gea is known for.
Oblak’s effectiveness in that area is something that has been debated by fans. However, the Slovenian helped Atletico fans forget that they lost de Gea. Can he do the same at Man United in the future? Only time will tell.
