Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Jan Oblak and Mathieu Debuchy
Arsenal are reportedly keen on signing Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak but are unwilling to meet his €100 million release clause.
According to Goal's Daniel Caballero, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has already made several approaches for the 23-year-old but has been knocked back on every occasion as Atletico will not entertain any offer.
Should Arsenal match his valuation—reported to be £85 million by the Sun's Fred Nathan—they would have free rein to sign Oblak, but the size of the clause is proving prohibitive for the north London outfit.
The Slovenia international has established himself as one of the top 'keepers not only in Spain but in all of Europe during his time at the Vicente Calderon.
WhoScored.com revealed how he had stood out among his peers in La Liga:
His incredible reflexes and excellent positioning allow him to make some stunning saves, and while Atletico have a resolute and organised defence, he is equally responsible for Los Rojiblancos shipping just 18 league goals last season.
Here's a look at some of his highlights:
After recruiting Petr Cech last year, the Gunners have no immediate need for Oblak's services. Here's a look at the pair's stats this season, per Squawka:
| Apps | 13 | 13 |
| Clean Sheets | 6 | 4 |
| Goals Conceded | 11 | 13 |
| Saves | 20 | 29 |
| Saves per goal | 1.82 | 2.42 |
| Punches | 7 | 3 |
| Catches | 26 | 34 |
| Distribution Accuracy | 66% | 61% |
The Arsenal goalkeeper will be 35 at the end of the season, while Oblak still has his best years ahead of him and has the potential to be the best in the world.
Atletico are unlikely to accept anything less than his release clause as long as Oblak is happy to stay—if the Gunners aim to replace Cech down the line with a player of similar quality, they might have to be prepared to spend big.
Meanwhile, according to France Football (h/t Metro), Olympique de Marseille are interested in Gunners right-back Mathieu Debuchy.
Wenger recently praised the Frenchman as he returned to first-team action, per Goal's Chris Wheatley:
However, the defender's first Premier League appearance in more than a year in Sunday's win over Bournemouth ended in disaster:
Unfortunate injuries are a recurring theme in Debuchy's Arsenal career—the former Newcastle United man has proved himself at Premier League level but has rarely had the chance to show it at the Emirates Stadium.
If he could avoid injury, he could still be a strong replacement for Hector Bellerin but doing so has been a real problem in recent years, and this latest setback further puts his future at the club into question.
Provided the 31-year-old's fitness issues don't prove off-putting for the Ligue 1 side, a fresh start could revitalise Debuchy's ailing career.
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