Areola joins Real Madrid on loan
Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Alphonse Areola has signed a loan deal with the Spanish club until 30 June 2020.
The 26-year-old shotstopper, capped three times for France, is under contract with Paris Saint-Germain until 2023. The loan deal with Real Madrid does not include a purchase option.
Alphonse took his first steps in football at Entente Sportive des Petits Anges, close to the Eiffel Tower, before joining Paris Saint-Germain in 2006. He then trained at France’s INF Clairefontaine academy (2008-2009) and went on to sign his first professional contract with the Rouge & Bleu on 3 July 2009 at the age of just 16. A year later the Paris-born player won his first trophy with PSG: the French U19 Championship.
In 2013 Alphonse made his debut in Ligue 1, appearing between the sticks on two occasions and was crowned champion of France with his home club before moving on loan to RC Lens (2013-2014) and then SC Bastia (2014-2015).
Following another loan spell at Villarreal in Spain, the Filipino-born goalkeeper returned to Paris Saint-Germain in 2016, going on to win two further Ligue 1 titles (2018 and 2019), two Coupes de France (2017 and 2018), 2 Coupes de la Ligue (2017 and 2018) and three Trophées des Champions (2016, 2017 and 2019) making a total of 107 appearances in all competitions.
At international level Alphonse is a double World Cup winner, at the FIFA U20 World Cup in 2013 as well as being among the 23 man squad of Les Bleus in 2018, victorious at the World Cup in Russia. The Club wishes Alphonse all the best in the new challenges that now await him in Spain.