West Ham star Alphonse Areola has spoken on rumours about Chelsea ace N’Golo Kante and lifted the lid on what Kylian Mbappe is really like.
The Hammers and Chelsea have a host of players at the Qatar World Cup.
West Ham talisman and longstanding Chelsea target Declan Rice and his best friend Mason Mount will come up against two Blues in the form of Kalidou Koulibaly and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy when England play Senegal in the last 16.
Whoever wins is likely to face France in the quarter-finals, albeit without Chelsea star Kante.
Areola is clearly going to be West Ham’s long-term number one over the next four or five years. But he is having to be patient with Lukasz Fabianski rarely putting a foot wrong.
Areola has also had to accept his place in the pecking order with France, understandably playing back-up to Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris.
But his position among that squad – with whom he won the World Cup in 2018 – means West Ham’s £10m summer signing has some fascinating insight that will interest fans of Chelsea and those captivated by the enigma that is world star Mbappe.
There may be no love lost between West Ham and Chelsea. But in Kante, the Blues have one of the most lovable and well-liked players in football.
Kante has often been hailed for being humble and down to earth. A shy man who shuns the limelight and prefers a low profile away from the cameras.
At the opposite end of the spectrum – if you believe what you read in the press anyway – is West Ham goalkeeper Areola’s former PSG and current France teammate Mbappe.
If Kante is known for being humble then it is fair to say Mbappe has a polar opposite profile with an ego as big as his ridiculous football talent.
French media regularly reports that Mbappe is effectively running PSG. At Chelsea, when fit, Kante is simply running – always running.
Now West Ham star Areola speaks on rumours about Chelsea ace Kante and lifts the lid on what Kylian Mbappe is really like.
Speaking in a new interview on West Ham’s YouTube channel filmed before he headed to Qatar with France, Areola has confirmed Kante is one of the nicest people on the planet and still drives a Mini.
And his opinion of Mbappe paints a very different picture of the superstar striker than we see in the media.
“Really cool guy,” Areola said on West Ham’s YouTube channel when asked what Mbappe is really like.
“You know when he joined PSG, I knew he was going to be a huge player for the club and for the national team as well and he was really, really young. He showed with Monaco he had the potential to be one of the best. He’s a really nice guy.”
The mere mention of Chelsea ace Kante brings an instant smile to the West Ham star’s face.
“He’s the most humble person on Earth I think,” Areola adds.
“Yea still I think (he drives a Mini Cooper), I was asking him last time but he didn’t really answer but I think he still has that one.”
MORE WEST HAM NEWS
Rice’s horribly judged come and get me plea is bang out of order.
Key Arsenal star to miss West Ham clash after being ruled out of World Cup.
West Ham ‘likely’ to look at Dyche and ex Villa man if Moyes is sacked.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
