Alphonse Areola

3.1.1. Early career and first-team debut (2012-2013)

After progressing through the Paris Saint-Germain academy, Areola made his senior debut for PSG on May 18, 2013, in a 3-1 home victory against Brest. He entered the match in the 48th minute, replacing the first-choice goalkeeper, Salvatore Sirigu. This match took place after PSG had already secured the Ligue 1 championship, and Brest had already been relegated. The following weekend, on May 23, 2013, Areola made his first start for the club in a 3-1 win over Lorient. He played for 61 minutes before being substituted for the fourth-choice keeper, Ronan Le Crom, who was later sent off for a foul on Julien Quercia.

3.1.2. Initial loan spells (2013-2016)

Areola's early career involved crucial loan spells that allowed him to gain valuable first-team experience and showcase his abilities.

On July 23, 2013, Areola was loaned to Ligue 2 side RC Lens for the 2013-14 Ligue 2 season, where he played under former PSG manager Antoine Kombouaré. He quickly became the club's starting goalkeeper, replacing Rudy Riou, and made 36 appearances during the campaign, including his debut in the Coupe de France. His contributions were vital in helping Lens achieve a second-place finish in the league, securing their promotion to Ligue 1. For his impressive performances, Areola was recognized with the Ligue 2 Goalkeeper of the Year award and was included in the Ligue 2 Team of the Season. He also received the Eurosport Revelation of the Year award, besting players like N'Golo Kante and Gaëtan Bussmann. Although there was a verbal agreement for him to remain at Lens for another season, the club's financial situation raised concerns with the League's National Directorate of Management Control, ultimately preventing his return.

Areola then moved to SC Bastia on a season-long loan for the 2014-15 Ligue 1 season, with the deal finalized on July 26, 2014. He was signed as a replacement for the recently retired Mickaël Landreau. His debut for Bastia came on August 9 in a 3-3 draw against Olympique de Marseille. Throughout the season, Areola made 39 appearances across all competitions, securing 13 clean sheets. Bastia finished the Ligue 1 season in 12th place and reached the final of the Coupe de la Ligue. The final, held on April 11, was a notable match as Bastia faced Areola's parent club, Paris Saint-Germain, with PSG ultimately winning 4-0.

On June 17, 2015, Areola joined La Liga side Villarreal CF on a season-long loan. He was brought in to replace the injured regular goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo. He made his debut on the opening day of the season in a 1-1 draw with Real Betis. At Villarreal, Areola significantly enhanced his reputation, keeping 15 clean sheets in 37 matches and conceding only 26 goals, as the club secured a fourth-place finish in La Liga. His league clean sheet tally was only surpassed by Jan Oblak of Atlético Madrid and Claudio Bravo of FC Barcelona. During this period, Areola also broke Villarreal's club record for the longest time without conceding a goal, surpassing Diego López's 615 minutes by reaching 620 minutes unbeaten before conceding against UD Las Palmas. Beyond domestic competitions, he made five appearances in the UEFA Europa League, helping El Submarino Amarillo reach the semi-finals, where they were eliminated by eventual runners-up, Liverpool.

3.1.3. Return to PSG and subsequent loan spells (2016-2021)

Areola's return to Paris Saint-Germain marked a period of intense competition for the starting goalkeeper spot, followed by further loan moves to elite clubs.



Following his successful loan in Spain, Areola returned to PSG for the 2016-17 Ligue 1 season. He initially served as an understudy to German goalkeeper Kevin Trapp. He was part of PSG's squad that won the Trophée des Champions 4-1 against Lyon. Areola made his first appearance after his return on September 13, 2016, in a 1-1 UEFA Champions League draw against Arsenal F.C., which also marked his debut in the competition. After this match, Areola established himself as PSG's first-choice goalkeeper, maintaining four clean sheets in eight appearances by mid-October. However, his form declined shortly after, and he conceded 10 goals from just 11 shots in December, leading to Trapp reclaiming the starting position. In April 2017, he was an unused substitute when PSG defeated AS Monaco 4-1 to win a record fourth consecutive Coupe de la Ligue title. The following month, he started in a 1-0 victory over Angers, which saw PSG lift the Coupe de France trophy.

On July 29, 2017, for the 2017-18 Ligue 1 season, Areola won his second Trophée des Champions medal, starting in a 2-1 win against Monaco as PSG secured their fifth consecutive title. He continued as PSG's primary goalkeeper in league and European competitions, with Trapp generally featuring in cup matches. Areola was integral to PSG's record-breaking performance in the Champions League group stages, where the team conceded only once in their first five matches and scored 24 goals, the highest ever by a club in the group stage. On March 31, 2018, Areola was an unused substitute as PSG retained the Coupe de la Ligue title with a 3-0 win over Monaco in a rematch of the previous season's final. The following month, on April 15, he started in goal as PSG again defeated Monaco, the reigning league champions, 7-1, to clinch the Ligue 1 title. The club completed a domestic treble on May 8 by defeating third-division side Les Herbiers VF to win the Coupe de France trophy for a record fourth consecutive season; Areola was an unused substitute in this final.

For the 2018-19 Ligue 1 season, Areola's role became rotational after the club signed veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon from Juventus. Although manager Thomas Tuchel initially stated Areola was in "pole position" for the starting spot, the two goalkeepers shared duties. Areola made his 100th appearance for PSG on April 21, 2019, during a 3-1 victory over Monaco, on the same day the club secured its eighth league title.

Areola then embarked on further loan spells with prominent clubs. On September 2, 2019, he returned to Spain, joining Real Madrid CF on a season-long loan as part of a deal that saw Keylor Navas move to PSG. He made his debut for Real Madrid on September 25, starting in a 2-0 league win against CA Osasuna. However, he primarily served as a backup to first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, making only nine appearances across all competitions, including four in the league, as Real Madrid won the 2019-20 La Liga title. He also won the Supercopa de España with Real Madrid in 2020. During his loan with Real Madrid, Areola faced some controversy when he was seen taking photos with former PSG teammates after Real Madrid's defeat to PSG in a Champions League group stage match, which sparked criticism among Real Madrid fans.

On September 9, 2020, Areola signed for Fulham F.C. on a season-long loan with an option to buy. He made his debut a week later in a 1-0 EFL Cup win against Ipswich Town. Despite his efforts, Fulham was relegated from the Premier League at the end of the season, and the club did not exercise their option to buy him. Despite the team's relegation, Areola was recognized for his individual performance, recording 116 saves (5th highest in the league) with a 73.1 percent save rate (7th highest) and was voted Fulham Player of the Season by the supporters.