Atletico Madrid goalkeeper set to return to the club following Lille loan | OneFootball

Over the past few years, Jan Oblak has set the bar so high for himself that he fell prey to his own greatness this season.

The Slovenian established himself as one of the best shot-stoppers in the world with his remarkable consistency but has not enjoyed the same form this year.In 37 league starts, Oblak has kept only 12 clean sheets and averages more than one goal conceded every ninety minutes. Moreover, he records less than two saves per game and has saved only one of eight penalties faced this season.Though there is little reason to panic over Oblak’s slight dip in form, the club require an able backup option to cover for the 29-year-old. One of the options is Ivo Grbic, though he is not the management’s first choice.The Croatian arrived at Wanda Metropolitano in August 2020 from Lokomotiv Moscow and spent a year under Diego Simeone. However, he made only one appearance and decided to leave the club in search of more minutes.In 2021, he left Simeone’s side to join Lille in Ligue 1 on a loan deal. His contract with the French side included a €8 million purchase clause that was not mandatory.According to reports from Ruben Uria of Goal, Lille have opted against using their purchase option on the goalkeeper. Unless an offer arrives, Grbic will return to Atletico Madrid at the end of the season and will participate in preseason as a substitute for Jan Oblak.The 26-year-old has started 21 league games for Lille this season and has maintained just two clean sheets. He concedes 1.3 goals per game on average but has made close to three saves per game during the same duration.Grbic could be a valuable option to the manager next season, especially given the situation of Oblak. However, it remains to be seen if the Croat accepts a subsidiary role.