New signing Alphonese Areola has spoken of his delight after completing his loan move to Fulham from Paris Saint-Germain.

The French international goalkeeper has moved to Craven Cottage on a season-long loan with the newly-promoted club holding an option to make the move permanent at the end of the current campaign. The 27 year-old told Fulham FCTV:

I’m happy that everything is done. I’ve waited for almost four days to come here and train with the team and I’m happy to be here. We spoke a lot with my agent, the coach Scott Parker called me. I had a good feeling, so we continued to speak for ten days and I made my decision. It’s a historic club in London, I heard a lot about the stadium. I’m very happy to be here and I hope it will be a good season.

Areola believes his experiences with PSG and last year at Real Madrid will serve him well as he prepares for a new challenge:

Last year was a great experience in Real Madrid. I won the league and we were very happy for the club and for the players. I think I will bring my energy and I will do my best to help the team and put the team where it should be.

I’m used to playing with a club that plays a lot with the keepers so I think I am ready for that and I’m prepared for this because we spoke a lot with Scott Parker and I think is the good way to play and I hope that it will work for us this season. He talked to me, he said that he really wanted me and, as I told you, I felt like a great energy and a good feeling. For me, the most important is the relationship you have with the coach and now I have to create a good relationship with my team-mates.

The goalkeeper is excited about playing in the Premier League and living in London, which he revealed was a long-term ambition for him and his family.

It will be my first time in this league. I will give my best all day at the training, at the games as well. Hopefully, it will be a good season. I know it will be tough because it is a difficult league.

It’s not a secret I think that I bought a house here in London last year so we are very happy to finally live in London. It’s one city that we love and, with my wife and my daughters. My daughters speak better English than me because they are used to going to a British school so we are glad and we have family here. To enjoy football, the good thing is to have a good atmosphere around us, to be happy and that helps to give a good performance.

Areola took part in training this morning at Motspur Park and will be contention to start Saturday’s Premier League opener against Arsenal.

It was good, because as I told you before, I haven’t touched a ball for a month since I left Real Madrid. I trained by myself at the gym, but it’s not the same as when you train with the group. I’m very happy to come back on the pitch, to touch the ball and to share with my team-mates, to share a great atmosphere. I’m happy to be back.