West Ham United will pursue Nick Pope if Alphonse Areola deal is baulked by Newcastle
West Ham United are prepared to chase after Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope if they fail to complete a deal to sign Alphonse Areola, according to The Sun.
The 29-year-old Frenchman is expected to sign permanently at the London Stadium with David Moyes pushing to complete the deal that includes the £7.6million option to buy in his previous loan deal with the Irons.
But Newcastle United appear to have suddenly entered the race to sign the French international and would be able to offer a much higher wage due to their vastly wealthy Saudi Arabian owners.
If the Magpies do come in and swoop Areola from under their noses, then West Ham are prepared to switch their attention to England international Pope.
He is one of Burnley’s better players and with them now relegated to the Championship, he is one of their most sought-after players and it would be a fight to sign him.
At this stage though, Areola is still their number one target and there is confidence that they can secure a deal to sign him which would also see him quickly become the first choice for the Hammers ahead of Lukasz Fabianski.
Cost-effective
You always have to search for value in the transfer market and West Ham will struggle to find a goalkeeper as good as Areola for cheaper which makes him the ideal signing.
We have such a big headstart over Newcastle that as long as we get close to his wage demands, he should sign with us rather than the Toon, especially as he already has a family home in London from back when he was at Fulham.
He’d have to go through all the drama of finding a new house in the North East if he were to join up with Eddie Howe’s side and he may not even be the main man there with Martin Dubravka settled at St James’ Park.
Moyes knows that he needs a new shot-stopper to help out Fabianski and who better than a man who knows all about how training works and the majority of the squad too which helps to take out that readjusting phase that can often slow down a new signing’s start to life at a new club.
In other West Ham news, the Irons bid for a 22-year-old striker from Italy only to see that offer immediately rejected with £25million the fee required.
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