Chelsea are now considering a potential move for someone who’s a nailed-on starter for his country at Euro 2024.
There’s so many top-class individuals competing at this summer’s Euros tournament, including several Blues stars.
It’s not always the most sensible idea for club sides to sign players based off international competitions, but Chelsea have their eyes set on a target with so much experience at the highest level.
Chelsea target La Liga star
CaughtOffside claims that Chelsea are in the market this summer to sign a new goalkeeper.
It is understood that Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak is on the Blues radar and is being considered as a potential target.
The report adds that Enzo Maresca’s side are looking at Porto keeper Diogo Costa, too.
Oblak, who earns £305,000-a-week (Salary Sport), has been one of the very best goalkeepers in Europe for a long time now.
He has played a remarkable 446 matches for Spanish giants Atletico Madrid, keeping 207 clean sheets in total.
The 31-year-old gloveman is currently at Euro 2024 representing Slovenia, where he’s the first-choice keeper. It’s 66 international caps for his country and counting following Slovenia’s 1-1 draw against Denmark on Sunday.
Should the Blues push to sign Jan Oblak?
On paper, Oblak looks like a good signing for Chelsea because he’s better than anything they currently have in-between the sticks.
He would bring an experience and presence in Chelsea’s goal that would massively help.
But would he be a good fit for Blues head coach Maresca, who requires his goalkeepers to be excellent playing out from the back?
FBREF data records that Oblak’s average length of pass, excluding goal kicks, was 31.5 yards in La Liga last season. In contrast, FBREF data records Leicester City’s Mads Hermansen averaged 25.9 yards per pass last season in the Championship under Maresca.
We think Oblak is a modern keeper who can play out, but his best strengths are more centred around what he does with his gloves.
Let’s wait and see if Chelsea’s interest ramps up in the coming weeks.
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