Newcastle United have taken steps to explore rivalling West Ham for the permanent transfer of Paris Saint-Germain loanee Alphonse Areola, with Eddie Howe interested in a new first-choice goalkeeper.
The Toon boss is keen to strengthen between the sticks this summer after marking the position as an area of need. But talkSPORT report plans to sign Manchester United’s Dean Henderson have cooled, with attentions moving to a ball-playing option like Borussia Monchengladbach star Yann Sommer.
Howe has had time to run the rule over the shot-stoppers already at St James’ Park since replacing Steve Bruce. Freddie Woodman started the season as the number one before joining Bournemouth on loan. Martin Dubravka also ousted Karl Darlow from the role straight into Howe’s time in charge.
While Woodman and Darlow are yet to feature with Howe at the helm, Dubravka played in all 27 of his fixtures in charge so far. The 33-year-old also kept eight clean sheets to 36 goals conceded across all competitions, compared to Woodman’s one shut out to 12 and Darlow’s zero to seven this term.
Newcastle are interested in rivalling West Ham for Paris Saint-Germain’s Areola
Now, Newcastle are interested in rivalling West Ham for Areola’s permanent transfer as Paris Saint-Germain are keen to cash in. RMC Sport report the Ligue 1 giants wish to sell the shot-stopper this summer as his contract at Le Parc des Princes will end in 2023 and he has no future back in France.
Areola spent the 2021/22 campaign on loan at the London Stadium, where the Irons hold an option to buy him. Yet their clause, which Fabrizio Romano claims is worth €9m (£8m), expires on June 30. And if West Ham do not elect to activate it, Newcastle could swoop with Howe interested in Areola.
Magpies chiefs have taken steps to sound out the conditions needed to potentially take the 29-year-old to St James’. Areola kept eight clean sheets over his 18 appearances with West Ham this season, including five from 11 Europa League ties by shutting out Rapid Vienna, KRC Genk, Sevilla and Lyon.
David Moyes only fielded Areola in one Premier League fixture, though, as Lukasz Fabianski retained first-choice status in east London. But the three-cap France international excelled as the number one whilst on loan with Fulham during the 2020/21 season for nine clean sheets in 36 top-flight matches.
Mark Noble also praised how Areola handled playing second fiddle yet performing in Europe. He told the Irons’ website: “Alphonse knows Lukasz is number one at the minute, but he’s great around the boys, he doesn’t sulk, he comes in and he’s been fantastic in the Europa League games he’s played.”
So, with Howe now interested in Areola and Newcastle taking steps to buy the goalkeeper off Paris Saint-Germain, here are some of the other stars who have featured for the Magpies and West Ham…
Andy Carroll the last to leave West Ham for Newcastle amid Alphonse Areola interest
Andy Carroll is the most recent player to head for Newcastle when leaving West Ham, amid Howe’s interest in Areola. The forward returned to St James’ in 2019 after leaving the London Stadium as a free agent following seven years in the capital, including an initial season-long loan from Liverpool.
Newcastle had sold Carroll to Liverpool for £35m in 2011, but the Reds took a heavy hit and sold him to West Ham for £15m in 2013. His time in east London would then feature several lengthy layoffs through injury, before heading back to Tyneside as a free agent and scoring once over his 43 outings.
Demba Ba ditched West Ham for Newcastle in 2011 before Chelsea sealed 2013 swoop
Demba Ba ditched West Ham for Newcastle under Alan Pardew in June 2011 after leaving the Irons as a free agent. The Guardian noted at the time that he had rejected a £55k-a-week contract and a £500k signing-on bonus to leave the Hammers after only five months for similar terms at St James’.
The Senegalese striker was prolific in claret-and-blue with seven goals in 12 Premier League games after joining from Hoffenheim. He would go on to hit 29 and create seven over 54 top-flight fixtures in black-and-white before Chelsea triggered a £7.5m release clause during the January 2013 market.
Kevin Nolan sealed West Ham move in 2011 after two-and-a-half-year Newcastle adventure
Kevin Nolan sealed a £4m transfer to West Ham 24 hours before Ba left the Hammers for Newcastle in June 2011. The midfielder had spent two-and-a-half years on Tyneside after joining from Bolton Wanderers in January 2009, during which he featured 91 times for 30 goals across all competitions.
The former England U21 international would go on to spend four years at Upton Park for 31 goals in 157 appearances. Nolan’s career then took him to Leyton Orient in 2016 as a player-manager before joining Notts County from 2017 to 2018. He is now among Moyes’ assistants at the London Stadium.
Scott Parker left Newcastle for West Ham in 2007 after two-year Toon spell
West Ham paid Newcastle £7m to sign Scott Parker in June 2007 and reunited the midfielder with his former Charlton Athletic boss Alan Curbishley. He had left the Addicks for Chelsea three years earlier before moving on to Newcastle just 12 months later in a £6.5m deal, for whom he played 73 games.
Parker would enjoy a lengthier spell in east London with 129 appearances, before joining Tottenham Hotspur for £5m in 2011. He asked to leave the Irons following their relegation to the Championship after a hat-trick of Hammers of the Year awards with titles during the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons.
West Ham raided Newcastle for Lee Bowyer in 2006 after three years at St James’
Lee Bowyer left Newcastle to re-join West Ham in June 2006 after a three-year spell at St James’. He had moved the opposite way in 2003 following a brief stint in east London after leaving Leeds United in the January market that returned 98 games. The midfielder only featured 60 times with the Irons.
Rob Lee enjoyed West Ham spell in 2003/04 after making his name at Newcastle
Rob Lee had a brief spell at West Ham during the 2003/04 season after making a name for himself at Newcastle. The midfielder joined the Toon from Charlton Athletic in 1992 and would play 381 games before joining Derby County in 2002. He would then go on to play just 19 times while with the Irons.
Shaka Hislop headed for West Ham in 1998 following three-year Magpies stay
Shaka Hislop headed for West Ham in 1998 for his first of two spells in east London following three years at Newcastle. The Magpies had signed the goalkeeper from Reading and called on him in 71 games, while the Trinidad international played 149 times for the Irons around 100 for Portsmouth.
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