Date: 8th September 2018 at 10:56am
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France international goalkeeper Alphonse Areola reportedly wanted to join Chelsea this summer, according to Blues goalkeeper coach Christophe Lollichon.

The Premier League side, who take on newly promoted Cardiff City next Saturday in the top-flight following the international break, had been in initial discussions to sign the Paris Saint-Germain shot stopper during the previous transfer window.

The 25-year-old, who has one senior international cap for his country after making his France debut against Germany in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday night, has started PSG’s last two Ligue 1 fixtures over Italian legend Gianluigi Buffon.

Areola, who has been on the books of PSG since 2006, has kept 35 clean sheets in 74 first-team outings in all competitions for the French giants.

Paris St Germain’s Alphonse Areola and Gianluigi Buffon.

However, Chelsea coach Lollichon has revealed the PSG star was keen on a move to Stamford Bridge this summer, before the club decide to splash out a world record goalkeeping fee of £71.6m on Athletic Bilbao’s Kepa Arrizabalaga.

He told Le Figaro (via Sky Sports), “We spoke a lot in the summer.

“He wanted to come here, but the final decision was not my responsibility.

“It would have been a pleasure to work with him.”

Written by Dan Church

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