West Ham United have identified Burnley’s Nick Pope as a potential goalkeeper target, according to The Daily Mail’s Adrian Kajumba.
The lowdown
Pope and Burnley are facing relegation to the Championship after winning just four of their first 31 matches. They’re currently 18th, three points behind Everton despite having played a game more.
West Ham, meanwhile, are chasing Europa League glory with the help of Areola, who’s started all but one game on their route to the final.
He’s effectively been the cup ‘keeper at the London Stadium, with 37-year-old veteran Lukasz Fabianski playing league matches.
West Ham will have the option to buy Areola from Paris Saint-Germain at the end of his loan spell in the summer for a fee of £10million.
The latest
West Ham have shortlisted Pope ‘as they finalise their goalkeeping plans for next season’, Kajumba reports.
The Hammers believe he may be a cheaper alternative to Areola if Burnley are relegated, causing his price tag to plummet.
Areola would be installed as one of West Ham’s highest earners on £120,000 per week, but Pope earns less than a third of that at Burnley (£35,000).
Fulham, who took the Frenchman on loan during the 2020/21 season, are waiting in the wings as they stand on the verge of winning back their place in the Premier League.
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The verdict
Pope, Kajumba notes, impressed when the two sides played out a 1-1 draw on Sunday.
He made five saves, all from shots inside the penalty area, to help his team secure what could prove to be an important point.
His SofaScore rating of 7.5/10 was the second highest in the team, beaten only by goalscorer Wout Weghorst.
The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas suspects that West Ham would have won the game had Pope not ‘turned into a super saiyan goalkeeper‘ late on.
However, it would feel harsh to overlook Areola, whose shot-stopping record this season places him in the 98th percentile among ‘keepers in the top five leagues.
In other news, big news has emerged on a West Ham defender.
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