Roma Lower Asking Price for West Ham & Newcastle Target Pau Lopez

Pau Lopez
AS Roma v Parma Calcio – Serie A | Silvia Lore/Getty Images

West Ham and Newcastle have been handed a potential boost in any pursuits of Roma goalkeeper Pau Lopez after the Giallorossi lowered their asking price for the Spaniard.

The pair of Premier League clubs have reportedly enquired about Lopez and his future was thrust into doubt after he was surprisingly benched for Roma’s win over Brescia last week, despite having made a full recovery from a micro-fracture in his wrist.

Pau LopezPau Lopez
Lopez joined Spurs on loan from Espanyol for the 2016/17 campaign | Clive Rose/Getty Images

Lopez joined the Giallorossi last summer in a £21m deal from Real Betis and has appeared 27 times in Serie A for Paulo Fonseca’s side this term.

A decent campaign between the sticks – Derby della Capitale blunders aside – meant Roma had put a £36m price tag on the Spaniard’s head, but Italian news outlet Calciomercato now understand the club are willing to part ways with Lopez after just one season for a reduced £27m fee.

It’s understood the club are keen to award 23-year-old Brazilian shot-stopper Daniel Fuzato more opportunities and are also content with utilising current number two Antonio Mirante as a stop-gap option if they fail to replace Lopez this summer.

In terms of potential replacements; Roma are eyeing up a swap deal for Atalanta keeper Pierluigi Gollini which would see Alessandro Florenzi move in the opposite direction.

Pierluigi GolliniPierluigi Gollini
Roma have identified Atalanta’s Pierluigi Gollini as a potential replacement for Lopez | Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images

Lopez’s agent Albert Botines, meanwhile, confirmed the 25-year-old has received offers from overseas but is keen to stay in Rome this summer.

“Pau has received offers from Spain and the Premier League, but he has four years left on his contract and wants to stay at Roma,” Botines told LaRoma24.it (via Football Italia).

“There are no negotiations in progress.”

If Lopez was to make the switch to either West Ham or Newcastle, the form of their respective number ones – Lukasz Fabianski and Martin Dubravka – means there’s certainly no guarantee the Spaniard will become into an instant starter following a move.

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