West Ham United goalkeeper Alphonse Areola is currently away on international duty with France.
Alphonse Areola has been with West Ham since the summer of 2021, but he had to wait until the start of the 2023/24 season before he became our number one goalkeeper.
He has held onto that position since Julen Lopetegui arrived at the club.
Somewhat surprisingly, the Frenchman was linked with an exit from the Hammers back in the summer transfer window.
However, perhaps that shouldn’t have been as much of a shock as it was at the time.
As good as he has been for the Hammers with his shot-stopping, there have been suggestions that perhaps he isn’t the man we need between the sticks with Lopetegui’s penchant for his team to play out from the back.
The 31-year-old has endured an underwhelming start to the season at the London Stadium.
Sure, he has made some very good saves, but his nervousness in possession and poor distribution has stood out like a sore thumb.
And now he’s been dealt a big blow whilst away on international duty with France…
West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola dealt bitter France blow
The former Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper was part of the French squad that won the 2018 World Cup out in Russia.
However, he has just five international caps for France to his name – a remarkably low tally given his age and quality.
And it seems like he will struggle to add to his cap count.
Sports Orange out in France suggests that Areola is the third-choice goalkeeper under Didier Deschamps, behind Mike Maignan and Brice Samba in the pecking order.
I think it’s obvious to see than Areola should hang up his boots for France. Seriously, what is the point in him travelling around Europe with France at his age just to warm the bench?
The answer to that question is that there is no point, but a bigger question has arisen from Areola’s situation as far as I’m concerned.
France call on Areola a message for West Ham
If the 31-year-old really is the third-choice stopper for France, it surely means that Didier Deschamps doesn’t fancy his ball-playing ability.
And that should be a big hint for the Hammers recruitment team.
If Lopetegui really is set on developing a team that plays out from the back, then then Spaniard quite simply must direct Tim Steidten to go out and sign a goalkeeper who’s comfortable with the ball at his feet.
It seems like he may well have already done exactly that, with Roma stopper Mile Svilar said to be a target for the Hammers.
As harsh as it sounds, Alphonse Areola may well not be the man West Ham need starting in goal for us, if we are to reach the next level.
And the report out in France about his standing in the national team has just lent further credence to that notion.
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