If indeed a new goalkeeper is required West Ham United during the January transfer window – Alphonse Areola’s status as number one set to be challenged once again – well, the news out of Italy is mixed to say the least.
Former Hammers boss Alan Pardew took aim at Areola – and not for the first time – despite there being very little the Frenchman could do to stop Cristian Romero’s crashing header during Saturday’s 2-1 win at rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Alphonse Areola is back between the sticks at West Ham United following the ill-fated Mads Hermansen experiment.
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Despite impressing initially on his return to the team – Nuno credited Areola with helping to fix the club’s set-piece issues on the other side of Christmas – mistakes have started to creep back into his game of late.
West Ham reportedly approached Bento Mateus of Al-Nassr in the immediate aftermath of Areola’s costly flap in the 2-2 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion. According to the Daily Mail, six-time Brazil international Bento was targeted on a loan-to-buy deal worth £10 million.
Among a growing throng of reported goalkeeping targets, meanwhile, sits Antonin Kinsky, Filip Jorgensen, Stefan Ortega, James Trafford, Guillaume Restes and Christos Mandas.
Now, Bento Matheus is very much still on the cards. But Mandas? Not quite.
Mixed news for West Ham United amid Alphonse Areola concerns
Genoa reached an agreement to bring Bento to Italy a week ago. That arrangement has now fallen through.
Al-Nassr refused to let the Brazilian leave due to injuries and suspensions elsewhere at the Saudi Arabian outfit.
Rather than wait for Bento, Genoa shifted their attention to the Dutch Eredivisie. Justin Bijlow has now touched down in Liguria instead as he prepares to seal a bargain move from Robin van Persie’s Feyenoord outfit.
A door which appeared to have closed a few days ago, then, may be opening up once again.
“Things are not easy,” Al-Nassr’s 71-year-old head coach Jorge Jesus told Arriyadiyah on Friday. “Nawaf [Al-Aqidi] is suspended. Raghed [Al-Najjar] is injured. [This means] we have one goalkeeper, which is Bento.
“Therefore, at the moment, it is difficult for Bento to leave due to the lack of options.”
Al-Aqidi will make his return from suspension, however, when Al-Nassr face Damac SC on Wednesday.
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Bournemouth set to sign Christos Mandas from Lazio
One goalkeeper who will not be challenging Areola for a starting spot at the London Stadium, though, is Christos Mandas.
La Lazio Siamo Noi reported in November that West Ham had enquired about Lazio goalkeeper Mandas. So too had AFC Bournemouth.
And it is the Cherries who are now on the verge of striking an agreement for the Greek glovesman. BBC Sport say that Mandas is set to join on a loan, with a £21 million purchase clause. Albeit, a purchase clause that rests on a number of ambitious achievements, such as European qualification for a club sitting 15th in the Premier League table.
Why West Ham appear to have left Bournemouth free to conclude a deal for Mandas is anyone’s guess. Perhaps that £21 million clause – albeit one the BBC themselves say is ‘unlikely’ to be triggered – was too rich for the Hammers’ blood. Bento could potentially be snapped up for half that fee.
Perhaps they had reservations about betting the farm on a goalkeeper who has not made a single league appearance in 2025/26. Mandas’ one and only outing has come in the Coppa Italia.
Or, perhaps, with at least one centre-half required, West Ham simply feel that a replacement for the inconsistent but occasionally-exceptional Areola sits a little lower down their list of January priorities.
“I really worry for them defensively,” the aforementioned Pardew told talkSPORT, albeit before Hermansen and Areola helped the Hammers secure successive victories over QPR and Tottenham.
“I look at the centre-backs. You know, when I talk to West Ham fans who go every week, they’re telling me that there’s a continuing issue in that area. That’s the area, and the goalkeeper; the communication between those three.
“Set plays; keep conceding, keep conceding. They look vulnerable. People are bending it under the crossbar on purpose because the keeper is making poor decisions. [Areola] makes unbelievable saves, but there’s stuff about his game at the moment that is fundamentally flawed.”
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