Surprise Alphonse Areola claim emerges a full three years into his West Ham career. The future of West Ham United goalkeeper Alphonse Areola at the London Stadium has just been thrown into doubt.
The Frenchman joined the Hammers from Paris Saint-Germain initially on a season-long loan in the summer of 2021. Alphonse Areola then moved to West Ham on a permanent transfer one year later, for a fee believed to be worth around £8 million.
His fine form for the Hammers attracted the likes of Chelsea back in January, but he remained at the London Stadium in the end.
The 31-year-old had to wait until the start of last season before he became the number one goalkeeper under David Moyes.
Keeping Areola as the club’s number two was a baffling decision from the Scot in the first place, and the Frenchman proved last term what a huge upgrade he is on Lukasz Fabianski.
New West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui will undoubtedly plan to use Areola as his number one in the Premier League next season and beyond.
Alphonse Areola claim emerges three years into West Ham career
The 6ft 5in Frenchman was sensational for the Hammers last season, and he was one of the main reasons why we didn’t finish somewhere around 14th/15th in the table.
In 31 Premier League games for West Ham last term, Areola made 138 saves, 11 punches, 20 high claims, four catches, four sweeper clearances and saved two penalties (Premier League’s official website).
He has some of the very best reflexes in the English top flight, and if he’s playing behind a proper back four next season, there’s no reason why he can’t rack up 10 clean sheets or more in the Premier League.
However, a shock claim has now hit the headlines regarding Areola’s future at the London Stadium.
According to a report from Arriyadiyah, Areola is a transfer target for Al lttihad, and the Saudi club could sign the Hammers stopper if they fail to get a deal for Manchester City ace Ederson over the line.
Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Man City want around £42 million for Ederson, and Arriyadiyah suggest that Areola will ‘likely cost less’.
Al Ittihad have the richest owners in world football (talkSPORT), so if they really want Areola, I’m sure they will have no problem offering us a fee that’s too good to refuse.
They will, of course, then have to convince the France international to leave the Premier League behind to play in the Saudi Pro League.
That’s far from a given – there’s no doubt that the Premier League is the best league in the world. Alphonse Areola has a minimum of six or seven of his very best years left ahead of him at West Ham.
Let’s hope that Al Ittihad don’t prise the former PSG man away from us this summer. It would give Lopetegui another headache that he doesn’t need right now!
