Update on Alphonse Areola's Real Madrid Future as Loan Deal Winds Down
By Tom Gott
Real Madrid have been impressed with on-loan goalkeeper Alphonse Areola this season and are ready to make his stay permanent this summer.
Los Blancos brought him in as part of the deal which saw Keylor Navas head to Paris Saint-Germain last summer, and he has managed eight appearances as Thibaut Courtois' understudy.
According to AS, those eight appearances were enough to convince Real to sign Areola permanently. The current loan deal does not contain an option to do so, but Real do not believe there would be any real problems.
PSG are on the lookout for a new goalkeeper, with AC Milan's Gianluigi Donnarumma highest on their wish list. They see the 21-year-old as the perfect man to lead the team for the next decade, while he would be able to compete with Navas in the short-term as well.
If they can snag Donnarumma, then there would obviously be no place at the Parc des Princes for Areola, which is why Real feel they will be able to get this one done.
It's interesting to note that Real did not actually plan on keeping Areola around initially. He was supposed to be a temporary option while young Andriy Lunin went out on loan to develop this season, but the Ukrainian's campaign has not gone to plan.
A spell with Real Valladolid during the first half of the season saw Lunin make just two appearances in all competitions, so he has had to settle for action with second-tier side Real Oviedo.
Even his spell with Leganés last season was underwhelming. He featured in just seven games, and Real now feel as though Lunin is nowhere near ready for a spot on the bench at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Lunin will likely be shipped out on loan once more next season, which means that there will be a place for Areola.