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What's the story?
According to several reports, Real Madrid are closing in on their long-held target Thibaut Courtois, who could make a switch from Chelsea to Los Blancos before the transfer window closes, with only one year left on his contract with the Blues.
And if the deal gets over the line, Chelsea will have to find an able replacement for the Belgian ace who can man their posts in the upcoming season. As per Mundo Deportivo, Chelsea have identified Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak as an apt alternative to Courtois and are ready to trigger his €100m (£89.3m) release clause before the Thursday's deadline, which could make him the most expensive goalkeeper of all-time.
In case you didn't know...
By virtue of his consistent showings for Los Colchoneros in the seasons gone by, Jan Oblak has become one the best shot-stoppers in world football. As a result, he has caught the eye of a number of top-notch European clubs, but Atletico Madrid have somehow managed to ward off interest courtesy of his eye-watering valuation.
The heart of the matter
Chelsea have tried their level best in the ongoing transfer market to stave off Thibaut Courtois' exit from Stamford Bridge but the move appears to be in the offing as the 26-year-old is keen to join his children at the Spanish capital.
Consequently, Chelsea have been linked with several top-quality goalkeepers, but no deal has been materialized yet.
Rumour probability/rating: 4/10
Mundo Deportivo is not a very reliable source in terms of transfer news and with the transfer window coming to an end on 9 August this year, Chelsea will have a hard time to prise Oblak away from Wanda Metropolitano.
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What's next?
Jan Oblak will be the player between the sticks for Atletico Madrid next season in all likelihood, and the Blues should turn their mind to another first-rate net-minder.
