West Ham United could be ready to sign Alphonse Areola permanently by triggering the buy option in his loan deal.
According to L’Equipe, as relayed by Sport Witness, West Ham United are keen on signing Alphonse Areola permanently. The Hammers have been impressed by the Frenchman during the loan spell and could pay slightly over €10 million to sign him.
Last summer, West Ham United were keen on bringing in a goalkeeper to compete with the ageing Lukasz Fabianski. At the time, a move for Alphonse Areola made sense, as the Frenchman was someone with tremendous experience in playing at the top level and seemed like an excellent loan signing.
Fast forward to the end of the campaign, the Frenchman has only been good enough to start cup games and feature in the Europa League. It’s not to say Areola’s form has been bad, but Fabianski’s hasn’t deterred all season. The Polish keeper has continued to perform at the highest level and has kept his place ahead of the PSG loanee.
David Moyes wants to continue planning for the long-term future of the club, and he could solve the goalkeeper problem in the summer. Fabianski’s contract is up at the end of the season, as an extension is yet to be discussed. It won’t come as a surprise if the manager decides to keep the Pole for next season, after some good performances this term, maintaining the levels required in the Premier League.
At the same time, West Ham United are reportedly keen to keep Areola as well. The Frenchman is on loan at the London Stadium, and the Hammers have an option to purchase him outright in the summer. The fee mooted is slightly over €10 million, according to L’Equipe, which may seem like a good deal for the Hammers.
There is also an interest from Fulham, although, with the buy-option inserted in his loan contract, the Hammers could have the first say in the Frenchman’s future. But Areola might have some reservations about continuing at the London Stadium if Fabianski stays, as the Frenchman could be looking for a first-choice role.
The Hammers are prepared for such a scenario, which has seen them linked with Dean Henderson, Nick Pope and other stoppers in recent months. But Moyes has been impressed by Areola’s application in training and remains a fan of his attitude. Hence West Ham are keen on the permanent transfer and could gradually promote the 29-year-old to become their undisputed No. 1.
West Ham might try to negotiate the price down, considering Areola will enter the final year of his deal at PSG. The French giants may happily oblige towards such requests, as they do not need the keeper anymore as Keylor Navas and Gianluigi Donnarumma remain their preferred stoppers.
Areola has decent Premier League experience, which could prompt other clubs to take a look at him. Fulham have previous ties with the stopper, making them one of the favoured destinations if Areola decides against signing permanently for West Ham.
