Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak was Chelsea’s number one choice to replace Thibaut Courtois but the Slovenian turned them down, according to a report.
Courtois left Stamford Bridge to join Real Madrid in a €35m deal while the Blues paid a world record transfer fee for a goalkeeper in signing Athletic Club’s Kepa Arrizabalaga in a €80m move.
However, Marca cite a report in The Sunday Times that the FA Cup winners were prepared to trigger the €100m release clause of Atletico’s Oblak, who vetoed the move.
The 25-year-old joined Los Rojiblancos from Benfica in the summer of 2014, ironically to replace the outgoing Courtois, and could now be set for a new deal in the Spanish capital.
Oblak has made 157 appearances for Diego Simeone’s team and has established himself as one of the world’s elite goalkeepers.