Alphonse Areola may have thought his West Ham United career was grinding to a halt when he started the Premier League season as back-up to Mads Hermansen.
Rumours of his demise, it appears, have been exaggerated.
Not only is the experienced Frenchman back in the team – Graham Potter returned Areola to the XI before Nuno Espirito Santo followed his predecessors’ lead – he is also playing some of the best football of his West Ham United career.
Areola was ‘incredible’ against Bournemouth. A tally of ten saves yet to be bettered in the Premier League this season.
The former Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper made fine stops against the likes of Liverpool and Brighton as well, while Nuno credits the Hammers’ unsung hero with helping solve that set-piece problem.
Alphonse Areola set a 2025/26 Premier League record with THAT Bournemouth display! 🧤
But who is the Hammers' next number one?
But what does Alphonse Areola think about the man who was supposed to take his spot? And what next for Mads Hermansen?
The answer to that second question above could potentially be a move away.
Alphonse Areola happy to be a mentor to Mads Hermansen at West Ham United
Hammers News have been told that West Ham might ‘cash in’ on Hermansen as early as January, given the opportunity. Serie A outfit Lazio are interested.
And as West Ham reportedly enquire about Lazio’s own Christos Mandas, could a swap deal be on the cards come the New Year?
As far as Areola is concerned, his rival shot-stopper should keep his focus on honing his talents on the training pitch. Hermansen certainly has a willing mentor in the ranks, Areola happy to impart his knowledge onto a man ten years his junior.
“We work well together,” Areola told Viaplay. “He’s calm, I’m calm. I’m older than him, but we have a lot of respect for each other and try to push each other to be better in training and help the team.
“He’s a really good guy, and our work for the team is the most important thing.
“I can learn from him, and I hope he can learn from me too. We sometimes talk in training, where we share some details; how to throw, how to react to a situation, little tips like that.
“Like I said, the team is the most important thing for us.”
Areola hails Hermansen’s passing ability but Graham Potter exit has harmed him
Hermansen’s ball-playing talents appealed to Graham Potter, when he was still at the helm. Former lead goalkeeping coach Casper Ankergren was a huge Hermansen fan, too, having worked with him back home in Denmark with Brondby.
Unsurprisingly then, the Dane feels the sackings of Potter and Hermansen were a major blow to his hopes of repaying the £18 million fee they paid Leicester City in August.
In another frustrating blow to his hopes of reclaiming a starting role, Nuno cares a lot less about ‘building from the back’ than Potter did.
“[Hermansen’s] passing ability, he is calm even when he is on the ball,” adds Areola, who has never been particularly renowned for breaking lines or starting attacks from his own penalty box.
Mads Hermansen has a shocking record…
He has to be the worst-ever signing for West Ham in the Premier League…
Hammers coaches have a lot of faith in former Real Madrid keeper
West Ham conceded eight set-piece goals in the opening nine games of the campaign. Those have dried up since Nuno’s appointment, meanwhile, with Hammers News learning that the coaches have placed a real emphasis on encouraging Areola to put his imposing frame to good use.
“Obviously if Alphonse feels confident and comfortable making a catch unopposed then he is free to make that call. He is an experienced goalkeeper who has played for some top clubs and the occasional game for France, after all,” the West Ham source explains.
“But Nuno and Rui [Barbosa, new goalkeeping coach] have been keen for him to use his height and frame – he’s a powerful boy at 6ft 5in, remember – to get a good fist on the ball and clear the lines.
“It may have gone unnoticed because we are still conceding too many goals from open play and not keeping clean sheets, but ‘Phonse punching the ball clear has dramatically improved our defending from set pieces.
“And has given the defenders some confidence too. They know if the ball is on the goalkeeper then he is not going to try and catch it but will be punching it away.
“It means they can focus on defending the second ball, something Nuno feels has been one of the team’s biggest issues. It has also given Alphonse confidence too as you can see from his personal performances.”
While Hermansen has much to prove before he can realistically claim to have a future as the club’s number one, the West Ham faithful are growing excited about Finlay Herrick’s emergence with the Under-21s.
Should the Dane go, the Hammers might not need to sign a replacement after all.
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