West Ham United goalkeeper Alphonse Areola had hoped to stake his claim as France’s first choice goalkeeper for their upcoming matches against Netherlands and Republic of Ireland.
The 30-year-old Hammers stopper has been a back-up option for club and country in recent years, but after the international retirement of Tottenham Hotspur captain and ex-France skipper Hugo Lloris, an opportunity opened itself up for Areola to become France’s first-choice stopper.
The potential national team opportunity also came at a time where West Ham's first-choice goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski suffered a fractured cheekbone and eye-socket injury, which has given Areola his first two league starts of the season, although neither have ended in victory.
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But Areola's hopes of being first-choice for his country have been dealt a blow ahead of their 2024 European Championship qualification double header against the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland.
Ahead of the games, France manager and former Chelsea midfielder Didier Deschamps has confirmed that Areola will not be France’s first-choice goalkeeper. Instead, AC MIlan stopper Mike Maignan has been given the gloves.
“The number one position is Mike Maignan’s,” said Deschamps (as published by Get French Football News . “I am going to have discussions as well. There will be a hierarchy. It’s important.”
Areola has been in 63 matchday squads for France, including the finals of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. However, he has won just five caps, two of which came in September’s UEFA Nations League matches against Austria and Denmark.
France host Netherlands on Friday night before heading to Dublin to take on the Republic of Ireland on Monday.
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