Liverpool are set to be a busy club this January. They have already welcomed a record signing in Virgil van Dijk earlier this month and have sold Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona in another record deal. The club will now be desperate to replace their playmaker but will also look to improve on other areas on the field and one position Jurgen Klopp wants a new name in is the goalkeeper’s role.
A number of star players are constantly linked with a move to Anfield this January but one player seriously exciting the fans is Atletico Madrid star, Jan Oblak.
Transfer Story:
According to reports from English news outfit The Independent, Liverpool are ready to reinvest the £140m+ they have received from Coutinho’s sale in improving the whole squad and are ready to make an astonishing bid for Slovenian international Jan Oblak this month.
He is the first choice for club and country at the moment but the biggest block for Liverpool in this deal is the player’s release clause, that is set at around £100m. The windfall from Coutinho’s move will give them a shot at this deal but should Liverpool spend such an amount on a shot-stopper?
Oblak And His Attributes:
Having joined the La Liga outfit back in 2014 from Benfica, the 24-year old managed to cement a place in the first team in the Spanish capital. He already has 97 La Liga appearances, 18 of which have come this season. In this time, he has kept 57 clean sheets, conceding just 53 goals and though the stats reflect Atletico Madrid’s defensive strength, it also gives a picture of how secure Oblak is in goal.
He is known for his shot-stopping abilities, even from close range, and has produced some eye-catching saves in recent games this season. At just 24, he has already learnt the art of dominating his box and is pro-active, allowing him to set his side on the attack with some incisive distribution.
He also has 34 UCL appearances, to add to 17 international caps and is one of the very few names in Europe that can solve Liverpool’s goalkeeping problems.
Should Liverpool Go All In?
Like already mentioned, the only issue for Liverpool in this deal would be his release clause, which is set at £100m. At that price, Liverpool will not have too much to spend on a replacement for Coutinho but it makes a lot of sense for the Reds to spend on Oblak.
Having broken the bank to land a defender already this window, Klopp seems to be turning his attention to improving his defence. The likes of Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius have not done enough to impress the manager while Danny Ward is yet to get his chance in the first team.
Oblak is easily an upgrade on all these names. He will be cup-tied for the UCL but Liverpool have Karius settled in that competition, which will mean that Oblak will replace Mignolet in goal, as the first choice in the league. The Belgian has already cost the club too many points and has overstayed his time in goal at Anfield and Oblak will be a welcome addition.
There is not much Atletico Madrid can do if Liverpool decide to meet his release clause and with enough funds to finance this move, the Reds should not miss this opportunity to land one of the finest goalkeepers in Europe and solve their problems once and for all.
Stats Courtesy: Whoscored