The goalkeeper completed a switch to Los Blancos before the transfer window closed although his international manager isn’t sure he’ll get games
France coach Didier Deschamps has expressed concern over the effects of a possible lack of game time for Alphonse Areola following his move to Real Madrid.
The French keeper moved to Spain on a season–long loan deal on deadline day , with Paris Saint-Germain’s Keylor Navas heading in the opposite direction.
Areola has three caps for France and was third choice behind Hugo Lloris and Steve Mandanda as they won the World Cup in Russia in 2018.
The 26-year-old has been included in Deschamps’ Euro 2020 qualifying squad for the forthcoming clashes with Albania and Andorra but the national coach is anxiously watching his progress following his move to the Spanish capital.
Navas, meanwhile, lost his role as first-choice keeper at the Santiago Bernabeu when they signed Thibaut Courtois from Chelsea in 2018 and Areola now faces a tough fight to oust the Belgian ace.
“We will see in time if I have a problem,” explained Deschamps. “It is always better if goalkeepers have playing time. The situation is now complicated a little bit.
“He’ll be number two there [at Real Madrid] and I do not know if he will have have any time to play.
“If he does not play at all it can become problematic, but we will see at our next squad gathering in October.”
France host Albania at the Stade de France on Saturday and return to face Andorra the following Tuesday. Les Bleus are top of Group H with nine points from four games.
Areola will be fighting to add to his international caps having being selected in the squad alongside Tottenham’s Lloris and Mike Maignan of Lille.
He is under contract with PSG until 2023 and the loan does not include an option to buy.
Areola made 21 league starts last season, with Italian veteran Gianluigi Buffon making 17 before the 41-year-old returned to Juventus in July after one season at the Parc des Princes.
The 26-year-old had played in three of PSG’s first four games of the season, with former Chelsea goalkeeper 19-year-old Marcin Bulka starting Friday’s win at Metz.
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