Alphonse Areola has won the La Liga title with Real Madrid this season on loan (Getty Images)
According to Diario AS (h/t Daily Mail), Real Madrid have decided to make a permanent move for Alphonse Areola in the summer. Areola, 27, came through the youth set-up of Paris Saint-Germain and had previously featured for clubs like Lens, Villareal and SC Bastia on loan.
He returned to his parent club in 2016 and became the first-choice goalkeeper in the following season, taking over from Kevin Trapp. In the 2017/18 season, he helped the French giants record 17 clean sheets after conceding just 25 in the league.
His impressive performances earned him a place in Didier Deschamps’ French World Cup squad, though he did not play a major role in the tournament.
The Frenchman then followed it up with 11 clean sheets in 21 league games after the World Cup and has helped the club win three league titles. He was then signed on loan by Real Madrid last September. At Santiago Bernabeu, Areola has been a deputy to Thibaut Courtois, who is at the peak of his form.
The Frenchman featured in just three La Liga games this season and has kept 1 clean sheet. However, he has been at his best in the last two seasons, and could be handy for Real Madrid in the following years. Zinedine Zidane’s men have struggled to maintain their lead in the league after going down to Real Betis two weeks back, making it 2 losses in the last three games.
They started the season on a high note but have made it difficult for themselves in the last few weeks. However, the manager should look to strengthen one key area, which is the goalkeeping position. Courtois and Areola are the only two shot-stoppers available in their ranks at the moment.
Whereas, Lucas Zidane and Andriy Lunin, who are both on loan, don’t seem like joining the team anytime soon due to their lack of experience.
Therefore, it would be a good choice to sign Alphonse Areola on a permanent basis as soon as his loan spell comes to an end in June. The 27-year-old was one of the best goalkeepers in the French league in the last two seasons and has saved PSG on several occasions.
In the few games he played for Los Blancos, he has shown his potential and also has a lot of room for development. Real Madrid signing Areola permanently could come in handy for the club whenever the Belgian is injured or needs rest. He is not only capable of being a backup but can also play the No. 1 role well for any side.
With only Courtois in the ranks, Madrid should look to strengthen the goalkeeping department and increase the competition for the No.1 spot. Therefore, the Spanish giants should negotiate a permanent deal for Areola at the earliest and keep him at Santiago Bernabeu for as long as possible.
