Paris Saint-Germain reportedly offered Arsenal the chance to sign goalkeeper Alphonse Areola on loan this season but he has now signed for Fulham.

The Evening Standard reported that Alphonse Areola is keen on a move to the Premier League this summer, offering Arsenal the chance to sign him on loan. Fulham were favourites all along, and they have now signed the player ahead of Arsenal’s game at Craven Cottage this weekend.

After the deal was finalised, Areola told FFCtv: “I am very happy everything is done. Scott Parker called me and I had a good feeling. He said he really wanted me.

“Fulham is a historic club in London and I have heard a lot about the stadium.

“I hope this season will be a good one for us. I want to bring my energy and do everything for this team to keep us where we belong to be.”

There’s no real word on whether Arsenal actually wanted the 27-year-old but he would have provided a good short-term solution to the problem presented by the potential sale of Emi Martinez.

As we reported, Aston Villa are keen on Martinez and recently placed a second bid for him. Arsenal won’t let the goalkeeper go without a replacement, however and they’re struggling to convince Brentford to let David Raya go.

I said at the time that a loan might be the best way to solve this problem but Areola is now off the table. Arsenal could have brought Areola in for a year, then either promoted from the set of talented academy goalkeepers or signed a new first-team goalkeeper, like Raya.

With a year less on his contract and a (hopeully) non-COVID summer, Arsenal would have a better shot at bringing in Raya next year, if he really is their main target.

Personally, I think Areola is a decent goalkeeper, having followed him since his Villarreal days., but Arsenal clearly didn’t agree he was what they wanted.