In a recent report, The Daily Express has mentioned that West Ham United are keeping a keen eye on Paris Saint-Germain keeper Alphonse Areola who is currently playing on loan at Fulham. It is believed that the Hammers are monitoring the French custodian’s progress ahead of a potential move for him during the summer transfer period (via The Daily Express).
Areola’s Impressive Loan Spell At Craven Cottage This Season
Areola is having a solid loan spell at the English capital as he has been responsible for performing at a high level despite Fulham’s struggles to get out of the relegation zone. The 28-year-old has participated in 33 matches for the Cottagers this term, conceding 40 goals and securing ten clean sheets across all competitions.
The Paris-born goalkeeper deserves a pat on the back for averaging 1.2 clearances and 4.5 long balls per game in Premier League football this season. However, he needs to work on improving his accuracy when distributing the ball from his penalty box after he completed just 67.1% of his attempted passes in the English first division (stats via whoscored).
The France international is still under contract at PSG until the summer of 2023, so the Hammers would have to make a sizable offer to stand a chance of acquiring the keeper’s services in this off-season.
Will Areola Be A Decent Option For West Ham?
Areola is a good handler of the ball and can cover a lot of distance with his goal-kicks. He has quick reflexes that allow him to make some instinctive saves at the back. Furthermore, the French custodian reads the game well and can position himself ideally to make a few clearances when needed. Standing at 1.95m, he is a towering presence in goal and can be a dominant figure inside his six-yard box when coming out to collect crosses and loose balls.
Hence, a player of Areola’s skillset could be a massive coup for West Ham as he ticks the right boxes in terms of what David Moyes is looking for in a keeper. He would serve as a great successor to Łukasz Fabiański, who is way past his prime at the London Stadium.
Areola has already proven his worth in the Premier League which makes him a good and safe option for the Hammers to consider when the transfer window reopens later this year. At 28, the three-time France international is currently playing at his peak, so Moyes will fancy getting the best out of him if he manages to convince PSG to sell their prized asset this summer.
