Julen Lopetegui’s decision to drop Alphonse Areola could cost the goalkeeper his role as number three in France’s squad.
That’s according to Le Parisien, who report that Lucas Chevalier could be set to benefit from Areola’s problems at West Ham.
They say the Lille goalkeeper has been sparkling this season and he is now not a name to ignore ahead of Didier Deschamps naming his squad for the next international break.
That has been aided by the fact Areola has found himself ‘in tough at West Ham’ at this moment in time.
While Chevalier is greatly adding to the success of his side, Areola is ‘charting a much less linear trajectory’ with West Ham.
He had something of a nightmare against Tottenham and has been downgraded ever since, with Julen Lopetegui bringing in Lukasz Fabianski to replace him. That continued in the weekend defeat to Nottingham Forest, where injury had also left him absent.
Areola had been the undisputed number three in the French squad and played the role impeccably. He’s also been in the squad in that role without being a starter for his club.
But that’s now changed thanks to Chevalier’s rise and the fact his position has ‘never seemed so weakened’ as it once was. Lopetegui’s decision to drop him certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed and could have consequences in the next international break.
