Chelsea get €30m upgrade opportunity in problem position – but there’s a catch

Robin Bairner

• 4 May 2024 11:30 BST
• 3 min read

The door has been opened for Chelsea to complete a signing that would represent a massive upgrade to their squad this summer, yet such a deal would involve a dose of pragmatism that the Blues have rarely seen under Clearlake Capital.

Everyone knows the transfer policy of Chelsea: sign them young and sign them, if not for life, for much of their careers.

But the failures of the last two seasons suggest this dogmatic approach needs tweaked. Now they have been handed an ideal chance to do just that.

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Chelsea are in the market for a goalkeeper in the summer, and while Everton’s Jordan Pickford has been touted as one potential solution, another even better option could be about to come on the market.

Atletico Madrid are ready to sell Jan Oblak this summer, according to AS.

Ironically, the Spanish side are looking at younger options, notably Valencia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili, yet Chelsea need someone capable of stepping up immediately.

READ MORE: Chelsea prepare €55m transfer bid for wonderkid dubbed 'next Messi'

Current ETV

Jan Oblak

GK

Atlético

Jan Oblak

GK

Atlético

€48.7M

ETV Range

€36.5M - €60.8M

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In Oblak, one of the best keepers in the world in recent seasons, they have an opportunity to capture such a player after their failed experiment with Robert Sanchez this season.

Chelsea would have to be braced to make this deal a short-term measure, going against their philosophy.

Oblak has not been in good form this season and while there stands the possibility that a new challenge reinvigorates him, there is the possibility his decline is terminal.

Nevertheless, at 31, he still has plenty of miles left on the clock in goal and could impart his years of experience on Djordje Petrovic to aid his development.

READ MORE: Forget Pickford! Chelsea should sign goalkeeping prodigy for immediate upgrade

Oblak a clear upgrade

According to data analytics experts SciSports, Oblak is a better option than anything Chelsea have on their books at present.

He boasts a SciSkill score, calculated using hundreds of in-game data points, of 99.9, which would make him the seventh-best player in the Blues’ squad.

Sanchez is on 94.3 and the rapidly improving Petrovic on 75.2.

Oblak would require some investment to sign – something in the region of €30 million is being discussed – yet his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €48.7m suggests he is well worth it.

He might not be quite what Chelsea want, but he could be exactly what they need.