Report: Arsenal want 6ft 5in ace deemed a ‘beast’ who ‘is top and can prove it’

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Arsenal are reportedly interested in Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, according to Mundo Deportivo.

The Gunners currently have Bernd Leno, Emiliano Martinez and Matt Macey in between the sticks.

However, Macey has been linked with a departure from the Emirates Stadium on a free transfer.

As a result, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta could well look for a replacement, and the Spanish outlet reckons the PSG stopper, who is currently on loan at Real Madrid, is on the Gunners’ radar.

Areola came through the ranks at PSG and has made 107 senior appearances for the French capital side, keeping an impressive 53 shutouts and conceding just 87 goals.

However, the 27-year-old’s time on PSG’s books has also seen him shipped out on loan several times – Lens, Bastia and Villarreal prior to the Bernabeu.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Areola is expected to return to PSG in the summer, with Andriy Lunin in turn heading back to Real from his loan at Oviedo.

However, the outlet claims that the 6ft 5in Frenchman doesn’t want to just be a substitute at the Parc des Princes, which is where Arsenal could step in.

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Areola is a superb keeper who simply hasn’t had the luck to carve out a consistent first-team place and, at 27 years old, really should look elsewhere for first-team football.

Jesus Unanua, his former coach at Villarreal, previously told Marca: “I was not surprised that Real Madrid signed Areola, there were few better goalkeepers. He is top and can prove it.

“Areola is a sponge, he wants to learn everything. What he needs is the continuity that he did not have at PSG.