Jan Oblak Reportedly Set to Sign New Atletico Madrid Contract Amid Exit Rumours

Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak is reportedly set to bring an end to any speculation regarding his future at the club by signing a new contract.

According to Felix Jose Diaz of AS, the stopper is poised to pen fresh terms with the capital club before Christmas, which will see his release clause doubled to a whopping €200 million (£181 million) and his salary increased.

"Atletico enjoyed a very ambitious summer, but Oblak's release clause and movement in the goalkeeping market led to reports of a move for the Slovenian," Diaz said. "The idea is that Atletico will renew the 25-year-old before Christmas with improved terms for him that reflect his importance to the team."

As noted by Diaz, Chelsea were linked with a move for Oblak before they paid a world-record sum to sign Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao, as were Liverpool before they swooped to secure Alisson Becker from Roma.

Real Madrid were also noted as possible suitors before they snapped up Thibaut Courtois to provide competition for Keylor Navas, but now it appears Oblak is ready to commit long-term to an exciting project at the Wanda Metropolitano.

For many, the Atletico man is the standout goalkeeper in the world at the moment, and figures like this indicate why:

While Oblak is assisted in keeping clean sheets by the defensive style of football Atletico play under manager Diego Simeone, that astonishing record is in largely down to him.

The 25-year-old excels in all areas of his goalkeeping craft. Oblak is commanding, dynamic and has remarkable reactions, making him difficult for attackers to beat when they do take shots at goal.

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Given how good he is, it wasn't a shock to see some huge teams linked with Oblak throughout the summer, and for plenty of sides, a release clause of £90 million would've represented a bargain. However, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Real all investing in other goalkeepers, a stay at Atletico appears logical for the Slovenian.

La Liga commentator Rob Palmer believes Oblak would've been worth a huge fee for one of those teams this summer:

As Spanish football journalist Kieran Canning noted, Oblak has already made some decisive interventions for Atletico in 2018-19:

If Oblak does sign a new deal soon, it would be another positive step for the Madrid outfit. Not only did they recruit well in the summer with the signings of Thomas Lemar, Rodri and Nikola Kalinic, they also tied Antoine Griezmann down to a new contract despite links to Barcelona throughout 2018.

After winning the UEFA Europa League last season, Atletico appear in an excellent position to push for major honours again this term and beyond. With Oblak between the sticks, they have an exceptional foundation upon which to do so.