“He earns a high salary because it was the way for him to stay,” slide from the Atlético to talk about the enormous figure of Jan Oblak. Huge for his size but also for the performance he has given in the decade he has been with the rojiblancos. Without a doubt, one of the most consistent footballers year after year.
His salary, obviously, is linked to the performance of a footballer who in his day received the greatest praise perhaps pronounced by Simeone: “Oblak is our Messi”, the Argentine slipped right between the Slovenian’s last two renewals. One, in 2019, was the most complicated while the Chelsea, among others, were about to pay the 100 million of their clause. The other, that of 2022, served to retain until 2028 one of the heavyweights both on the green and in the dugout.
Up to this point, the detailed explanation of the 10 million net per season that make Oblak the highest paid player on the squad once Griezmann had to reduce his salary twice to return to being a red and white player for all purposes. The goalkeeper always remained loyal to the Madrid club, which is now undertaking a task of reducing the salary bill that has affected the captain Koke, to the aforementioned Simeone and that has been key for the departures of Hermoso and Savic.
A great run by Oblak takes Atlético to the quarterfinals
Pay attention to the market
This policy of reducing the salary bulk as much as possible is what puts Jan Oblak in the spotlight. Officially, yes, the red and white club recognizes that he is one of the untouchables of the squad due to his performance and importance, but no one denies that a possible offer for the Slovenian would be heard that would greatly help ascontinue reducing what they spend in the Metropolitan on salaries.
And that is precisely where Saudi Arabia appears as one of the options that could alter the career of a player who has experienced glory days in his first European Championship with Slovenia and who, on paper, still wants to compete at the highest level on the Old Continent. Like this entire generation of Atlético players, the Champions League continues to be an objective to settle the outstanding debts of Lisbon and Milan (Oblak was only in the squad for the second of the grand finals).
Al Nassr needs a goalkeeper
Within the very powerful Arab league, as far as money is concerned, a club, the Al Nassris looking for a goalkeeper and could be the one to make the approach to see Oblak’s conditions and a possible transfer to a championship where, everything indicates, will rebuke Stefan Savicinseparable from the Slovenian in the last nine years at Atlético.
A team well connected to Atlético that would be in search of a top-level goalkeeper and few have that of an Oblak who at 31 years old should decide whether to continue in top-level football or take a step aside. A difficult option that would not be liked in a coaching staff where the immense figure of Jan has always been valued.
