It looks like Newcastle are interested in signing 24 year-old Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Alphonse Areola this summer.
Rafa Benitez is keen to bring in a new first choice goalkeeper this summer, as he probably offloads both Karl Darlow and Tim Krul and there’s news in France Football today that Newcastle are close to making an offer of €15M for the French U21 International.
The report is that Rafa Benitez has followed the progress of the player since the Frenchman’s time at Villarreal in season 2015-2016, when he played 37 times on loan for the Spanish club and played extremely well.
24 year-old Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Alphonse Areola
The news is that Areola is now Newcastle’s number one goalkeeper target and Rafa is considering submitting a €15M (£13.3M) bid for the player, who has played for all the French youth sides from U16 through U21.
The 24-year-old Frenchman played 27 times for the PSG first team last season and he is said to be a very calm goalkeeper who is good in the air, commands his box and an excellent shot-stopper.
Alphonse Areola also has first class leadership skills – always something that Rafa seems to look for in players he wants to sign for Newcastle.
Areola was born in Paris and joined his home town club back in 2006 as a 13 year-old and has been there ever since.
He’s had season long loan spells at Lens (2013-1024 – 36 appearances), Bastia (2014-2015 – 39 appearances) and Villarreal (2015-2016 – 37 appearances) so he has already played 141 first team games in total.
He seems like a very good young goalkeeper who stands 6ft 3ins tall and could do very well in the Premier League.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
227 comments so far
giimps
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:01 AM
Comment #1Him and lejeune will work well together, I’m not sure we really need a keeper though, and especially for >£10m, money we could use elsewhere to greater effect imho
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:03 AM
Comment #2Well at Liverpool Rafa kept buying LBs…
Jib
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:04 AM
Comment #3https://twitter.com/milesstarforth/status/884529567922348034
Jib
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:13 AM
Comment #4Rafa had John Arne Riise (Left Back – 339 games 30 goals) for 4 years at Liverpool
martoon
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:14 AM
Comment #5According to Lee Ryder, yesterday, Reina is still Rafa’s No.1 keeper target!
DicBDoonToon
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:20 AM
Comment #6Giimps – Referring to previous post – Does it really invite discussion though?
I think using words like ‘sombre’ to describe our manager, who hasn’t given any interviews since returning(only last Monday may I remind you), when most fans are in the ”panicking because of lack of signings” stage – it feeds the fire- causes more uncertainty between fans, which doesn’t help anything. And it also coincides with Raffas’ odds being slashed in the ”next manager to leave/get the sack” race.
It does nothing to help lift the mood of the fans pushing out things like that…..
Then again, maybe your right… Im doing exactly as you said Giimps and discussing… – Ed, you sneaky devil, you got me!
jazzyp
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:21 AM
Comment #7Martoon
I would be happy for Reina to be our no1. The Guy still has a lot to offer and is far above what we have regarding experience and what he has achieved in the game.
Ron Knee
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:22 AM
Comment #8“On this day… In 2015, #NUFC confirmed the capture of Gini Wijnaldum in a £14.5m move from PSV Eindhoven – their first signing of 2015.”
What a great season that turned out!
sing in the corner
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:23 AM
Comment #9The only way I want us to sign a keeper is if he is versatile.
Like…can play both LB and RB too.
🙂
martoon
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:24 AM
Comment #10DicBDoonToon – Another contributing factor is probably Ed is undergoing chemo at the moment. I can tell you from personal experience some days you feel fine and other days you feel like sh*t which tends to affect your mood.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:27 AM
Comment #11Jazzy…thanks for word of confidence the other day…
…it’s very true what you said but sometimes just easier said than done
Jib
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:27 AM
Comment #12Martoon
The Italian media this morning is full of storries about DiLaunrentiis and Reina kissing and making up.
Lots of papal references to white smoke which in Italian football journalese means a contract has been signed
🙁
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:28 AM
Comment #13Morning Ron
Ron Knee
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:30 AM
Comment #14Morning, jesper.
martoon
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:33 AM
Comment #15Jib @12 – That Lee Ryder what does he know? 😀
Makes sense as to why we are now looking at other keepers although like others I think other areas are more a priority.
Jib
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:36 AM
Comment #16NUFC will spend a week in Carton House Co.Kildare
AFTER the Hearts game on Friday
Ron Knee
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:36 AM
Comment #17“That’s the case as they’ve came to a stand off with both Middlesbrough and Norwich over the sales of Adama Traore and Jacob Murphy.”
Jeez, Lee Ryder’s grammer!
DicBDoonToon
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:37 AM
Comment #18Martoon – That’s something that hadn’t even crossed my mind.
I would still appreciate less negativity. Maybe if you are feeling down, write positively and it will have a positive effect on your mood.
I hope your doing well Ed
All the best!
jazzyp
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:37 AM
Comment #19Jesper
Morning mate hope your well
Football blogs are a place where debates are most fiercely contested amongst members as we will all see things differently.
But as Edds home page suggests it’s about having respect for one another’s view points however varied.
If somebody has a negative viewpoint.. then debate it. If someone is forever an optimist and can’t see the wood for the trees… Then debate it to.
I just don’t get why it gets so personal because in the real world if we were all sat in a pub having a debate it wouldn’t result to the insults that go out on here.
nightfa11
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:37 AM
Comment #20Reina 5
Gibbs 10
Chambers or smalling or mangala or abdennour 15
Wilshire 10
Murphy 10
Bakambu 30
That would work. 80 mio. Even if it’s 100. We could recoup more than half of it by selling : darlow, Krul, gamez, Lazaar, diame, colback, saviet, de jong, mitro, Murphy, haidara, Hanley, good, Rivi. Whether we can sell all of them is yet remain to be seen, but Krul, darlow, colback, mitro, Murphy, Hanley would bring in 40 minimum.
Ron Knee
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:38 AM
Comment #21martoon
I think Rafa would like a GK with a BIG personality and imposing presence.
Jib
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:39 AM
Comment #22http://www.mondonapoli.it/corrsport-sulla-vicenda-reina-trattativa-per-il-rinnovo-che-va-avanti-serenamente-ce-volonta-comune-di-proseguire-insieme/
Jib
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:40 AM
Comment #23http://www.gazzettadiparma.it/news/calciomercato/447073/napoli-reina-fumata-bianca-in-arrivo.html
expatmag
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:44 AM
Comment #24If you look at the majority of PL deals, the big money us being spent by the big 6 which is inflating fees.
City, Man Utd, Everton have all spent 100 million plus. Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool have all spent over 40 million on an individual player.
If you look at the majority of the rest, not much has been spent at all yet. Stoke, Watford, Southampton, Palace, Brighton, West Ham, WBA and ourselves have all spent less than 15 million in total so far.
No need to panic at all. In my opinion, under the current management/coaching team, we have a squad good enough to survive reasonably easily.
Jib
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:45 AM
Comment #25https://www.tuttonapoli.net/in-primo-piano/cds-reina-napoli-si-vuole-continuare-insieme-un-anno-di-contratto-in-piu-ed-accordo-ad-un-passo-320598
expatmag
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:49 AM
Comment #26NIGHTFALL
Gibbs at 10? Think Arsenal want nearer 15 for him. You would be looking at 25 million plus for Wilshire
nightfa11
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:56 AM
Comment #27Expatmag
I don’t think so. They both have only 1 year left on their contract. Gibbs doesn’t play, Wilshire also. He’s been injured for so long, Wenger can’t trust him to play regularly – arsenal can’t rely on him considering they’re playing to win the league. We can,especially with rafa. I think there’s a chance to get the both on the cheap. It’s a world cup season and they both need first team football.
Jail for Ashley
Jul 11, 2017 at 9:01 AM
Comment #28nightfa,
I met an Arsenal fan on holiday last month who reckons a lot of Wilsheres “injuries” are him spending time in rehab for his drink and drug problems.
nightfa11
Jul 11, 2017 at 9:04 AM
Comment #29Jail
That could be a problem, but also an advantage. To move his life around, newcastle seems perfect. Moving away from London up north, where there’s great support, and a top manager. Plus he would be cheap.
nightfa11
Jul 11, 2017 at 9:05 AM
Comment #30*turn
And even if it doesn’t work out, we could still sell him for the same amount.
ShirebrookToon
Jul 11, 2017 at 9:07 AM
Comment #31night
Aye but the nightlife would be a distraction just like it would have been for Abraham 😎
expatmag
Jul 11, 2017 at 9:07 AM
Comment #32NIGHTFALL
On Gibbs, I thought I read last week Arsenal quoting 15 million for him.
As for Wilshire, didnt he break his leg late on in the season last year at Bournemouth?
martoon
Jul 11, 2017 at 9:09 AM
Comment #33nightfa11 @20 – A reasonable list but I would stay well clear of Wiltshire – too injury prone and we have enough of them without adding to it!
DicBDoonToon
Jul 11, 2017 at 9:09 AM
Comment #34Nightfall – you have sold half our squad and bought 5 players – I dont think that would work out too well even though i do agree with the suggested players. If we could even get 3 of them it would be pleasing!
ShirebrookToon
Jul 11, 2017 at 9:09 AM
Comment #35Expat
It was his dealer who broke his leg because he didn’t payoff his debt 😀
jazzyp
Jul 11, 2017 at 9:10 AM
Comment #36BREAKING NEWS
Reuben Loftus-Cheek will undergo a medical at Crystal Palace today ahead of a year-long loan, Sky sources understand.
nightfa11
Jul 11, 2017 at 9:11 AM
Comment #37🙂
Expatmag
I don’t know, but rafa can get the best out of him. Wilshire at 50% is the same as colback at 100%. But Wilshire can get back to his best..beyond that. He’s only 25.
expatmag
Jul 11, 2017 at 9:11 AM
Comment #38SHIREBROOKE
Not going there……lol
ShirebrookToon
Jul 11, 2017 at 9:12 AM
Comment #39jazzy,
Morning mate. That’s another one we’ve missed out on then
Our Toon
Jul 11, 2017 at 9:12 AM
Comment #40As much as I’d love to have Wilshire here I just don’t think he has the right attitude. Enjoy a drink and a smoke, he’ll certainly love the nightlife.
He’s got quality but can we carry someone who can’t stay fit throughout a season?