Fulham and West Ham United have reportedly been told to pay £40 million to secure the services of 30-year-old Burnley shot-stopper Nick Pope.
The Sun report that Burnley have put a massive £40 million price tag on goalkeeper Nick Pope. The Clarets were relegated to the EFL Championship after losing 2-1 to Newcastle United on the final day of the Premier League season but are still not ready to cut down on the asking price for the 30-year-old English international.
Fulham, who regained promotion to the Premier League after finishing atop the Championship table, are especially interested in signing the Burnley goalkeeper, who now looks set for a departure from Turf Moor following his team’s relegation. The London giants have reportedly offered a three-year contract to the 30-year-old.
Fulham have been eager to sign Pope and make him their number one since securing promotion to the English top flight last month. But they were hoping that the transfer fee would be in the region of £20 million, whereas the Clarets are demanding double of that at £40 million.
The newly-promoted side will face competition from West Ham United, who have also shown interest in the English international. The Hammers can also offer European football to Pope as they have qualified for the UEFA Europa Conference League after finishing seventh in the Premier League this season.
Pope has been with Burnley since 2016 and has since made 155 appearances for the club across competitions, keeping 53 clean sheets in the process. Even though the Clarets suffered relegation to the Championship, they were defensively solid, conceding 53 goals, more than just 12th-placed Crystal Palace in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
The 30-year-old English international was among the best shot-stoppers in the league, making 121 saves, the fifth most this term. Thus, Pope is expected to stay on in the Premier League even as Burnley move to the second division.
Fulham have also set sights on outgoing Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic. The London giants might wish to add experience to their midfield unit to try and prolong their stay in the English top-flight.
