Atlético Madrid aren’t just worrying about this season between the sticks. The club have started planning for life after Jan Oblak, with the Slovenian edging towards the end of his time in Madrid and early moves underway to find his heir. Two young prospects have landed under the microscope, one Argentine and one German, as Atlético hunt for a goalkeeper who blends talent with the promise of experience to come.
Goalkeeping has been one of Atlético’s great strengths for years. Oblak arrived in the summer of 2014, and before him came Thibaut Courtois across three loan spells, so the club have grown used to top-class options. The Slovenian has gone on to win the Zamora Trophy six times, more than any goalkeeper in the history of Spanish football.
Plenty of keepers have passed through the squad, but only a handful have genuinely pushed Oblak for his place. The most notable are Miguel Ángel Moyá and Juan Musso, now in his third season at the club, according to Spanish newspaper “AS“.
Now, though, Atlético have their eyes on the future. Oblak is 33 and his contract runs out in June 2028, which is why the coaching staff want a young goalkeeper who can learn under the Slovenian in his first season before taking over as first choice in the years that follow.
Santiago Beltrán: the Argentine talent
Santiago Beltrán stands out as one of the frontrunners to succeed Oblak. The 22-year-old River Plate goalkeeper turned heads throughout 2026, earning a call-up to the senior national team under Lionel Scaloni.
Transfermarkt value him at around 11 million euros. His River Plate contract runs until 2027 and carries a 25 million euro release clause, and despite the club’s efforts to tie him down over recent months, no agreement has been reached.
Beltrán has caught the eye of several European heavyweights, chiefly Juventus, Inter Milan and Atlético Madrid, who have sent scouts to watch him closely in recent weeks.
Standing 1.91 metres tall, the young goalkeeper boasts physical strength and sharp reflexes, along with a real command of aerial balls and penalties. Add a strong personality and the nerve to handle pressure, and the package starts to look complete.
Those qualities have drawn comparisons with his compatriot Emiliano Martínez, built on his commanding presence and sheer confidence on the pitch. His Italian passport is another plus, since he wouldn’t occupy a slot on the non-European players list.
Beltrán looks set for another chance with the Argentina national team during the current international break, alongside Martínez and Musso. It’s a sign of just how highly he is rated back home.
Dennis Seimen: the German option
Beltrán isn’t the only name on the list. Atlético are also tracking young German goalkeeper Dennis Seimen, 20, who has shown plenty of promise in the Bundesliga.
Seimen has played just once in the Champions League this season, and it came against Atlético Madrid themselves, in the 1-1 draw in Stuttgart.
Injury disrupted the start of his campaign. The goalkeeper, on loan from Paderborn, then nailed down a starting spot across the last four rounds of the German league.
Standing 1.92 metres tall, Seimen is valued at around 10 million euros by Transfermarkt. He has a strong physical frame, handles crosses well and reacts quickly off his line.
One of Germany’s under-21 goalkeepers, Seimen remains under close observation from Atlético Madrid as they weigh up whether he can succeed Oblak down the line.
Atlético, then, have already begun sketching out the post-Oblak era. Beltrán and Seimen sit firmly in their thinking, while the club decide which name is best suited to guard their goal in the years ahead.
