Report: Player with 36 Premier League appearances now expected to join West Ham

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According to Get French Football News, Alphonse Areola is expected to join West Ham on loan from Paris Saint-Germain.

What’s the story?

Well, the Hammers seem close to signing the 28-year-old on loan with an option to buy.

Paris Saint-Germain hoped to earn €15m (£13m) upfront, but it seems Mauricio Pochettino’s side have agreed to an initial loan with a purchase option.

After spending the 2020/21 season on loan at Fulham, Areola’s intention was to remain in London.

Now, it seems like he’s got his wish.

Paris Saint-Germain recently signed Italy glovesman Gianluigi Donnarumma from AC Milan.

Now, Pochettino has two top shot-stoppers in Keylor Navas and Donnarumma, so Areola was always going to struggle for game time.

The end for Lukasz Fabianski?

Ever since his £7m arrival from Swansea, Lukasz Fabianski has been superb for West Ham.

However, he’s now 36 years of age, so it might be time for the east Londoners to freshen up the goalkeeping department.

That would explain Areola’s arrival, but will David Moyes now drop the Pole in favour of the Frenchman?

As it’s a season-long loan, Moyes can’t exactly make a decision on the man with 36 Premier League appearances if Fabianski starts most games next season.

In that respect, he will surely have to play Areola ahead of him, in order to gauge whether or not it’s worth activating the option to buy.

Only time will tell what happens, but it sounds like Fabianski’s West Ham career could be nearing an end.