Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is being lined up as a potential replacement for Jan Oblak should the goalkeeper leave Atletico Madrid next summer.
There are doubts over the Slovenian goalkeeper’s future with the La Liga club as his contract expires at the end of the season and is yet to signal that he intends to sign a new deal, reports the Mirror.
According to the report, Atletico could even consider selling Oblak in January rather than risk losing him on a free six months later and Manchester United are among a number of clubs understood to be monitoring his situation.
Oblak was in talks over a new deal that would keep him at the Spanish club until 2028, as relayed by Fabrizio Romano, but that deal never got signed.
Oblak has established himself as one of the world’s best shot-stoppers since joining Atletico Madrid back in 2014 and it would be a big blow for the Madrid club to lose the 29-year-old.
However, Martinez has proved himself to be one of the best in England since joining Aston Villa and established himself as Argentina’s number one in the time since.
The 30-year-old would be a solid replacement for Oblak should he leave but Atletico will be hoping that the Slovenian international decides to stay for a while longer.