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Various reports are suggesting young French keeper Alphonse Areola will be joining the Yellow Submarine on a season-long loan, with Villarreal beating out Toulouse for his services.
Areola has not yet played for the French national side, but he has been a starter at every youth level, and is considered a very promising talent. He came up in the Paris Saint-Germain system and spent last year on loan at fellow Ligue 1 club Bastia, where he recorded 11 shutouts in 36 matches and allowed only 43 goals.
No indication that this loan has any purchase option--I'd be shocked if it did given Areola's upside and our expectation that Asenjo will be able to return to action in 2016.
Areola is tall--6'3" or 6'4"--he has a knack for saving penalties (France's U-20 team defeated Uruguay on penalties for the last U-20 world championship, and Areola was between the sticks then) and also controls his area well.
Watching this video, he's like a big cat....El Gato Grande....El Gat Gran...I like it!