Premier League outfit West Ham United have, on Monday, confirmed the club’s 2nd signing of the summer transfer window.
The latest player to have taken his talents to the English capital ahead of the 2022/23 campaign? Alphonse Areola.
Shot-stopper Areola of course spent this past season on loan at the London Stadium, acting as backup for first-choice Lukasz Fabianski.
Evidently, though, across limited game-time, the Frenchman did enough to prove his talents to boss David Moyes, having today seen the powers that be at West Ham opt to make his arrival a permanent one.
As per a series of posts across the club’s website and social media platforms, Areola has committed his long-term future to the Irons, putting pen to paper on a contract through the summer of 2027.
Speaking on the back of his return to east London being made official, the 29-year-old revealed:
“I feel good, I feel great, I’m happy to sign and happy to stay here permanently and I can’t wait to start to train and to do the job.”
“The main thing is that I felt the love of the supporters last season. Something for me that is really important is to feel that I’m loved. I know that I have to do my job and to do everything to make them happy, and obviously also the team, my teammates, the staff and Xavi Valero as well. The vibe of last season was great, so I just wanted to do everything to stay here.
“I feel comfortable, I feel like when I’m signing in a club, I want to feel that it’s like my second family. Obviously, we’re here every day and we are sharing lots of times together, so I have to feel comfortable with everyone and feel them comfortable with me as well, so I just feel comfortable here.”
Here to stay, @AreolaOfficiel 🧤 pic.twitter.com/tiraXyEAUV
— West Ham United (@WestHam) June 27, 2022
Areola’s signing is understood to have set West Ham back a fee in the region of £10.5 million.
The goalkeeper marks the 2nd summer reinforcement to David Moyes’ ranks, on the back of the big-money addition of highly-regarded defender Nayef Aguerd earlier this month.
And further new faces are expected to follow in short order, amid speculation in the media that the capital outfit remain keen on the services of all of Jesse Lingard, Armando Broja, Arnaut Danjuma and James Ward-Prowse.
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