West Ham are interested in Nick Pope, which would open the door for Alphonse Areola to seal a return to Fulham in the summer.

The French international is currently on loan at the Hammers, with the vast majority of his appearances coming in the cup competitions, including their memorable Europa League run.

The Londoners have an option to turn the move into a permanent one for £10m, having already agreed terms with parent club PSG.

However, the Daily Mail have revealed that some at West Ham have doubts about doing that due to the £120,000 a week Areola is picking up, which would make him one of their top earners.

As a result, they state that they could turn to Burnley's Pope, who will be a very realistic option if the Clarets go down.

The update adds that Fulham would then emerge as the leading contenders for the 29-year-old, who had an impressive loan spell at Craven Cottage last season, even if it ended in relegation.

Marco Silva's men can seal an immediate return to the Premier League with a win against Preston this evening.

The verdict

This shows how complex transfers can be as clubs need things to fall into place elsewhere to ensure they can do the deal they want.

From Fulham's perspective, the chance to bring Areola back would surely be a no-brainer. He is a clear upgrade on what they have and was one of few positives for the club as they were relegated.

Now, it's about winning promotion, but the recruitment team will already have one eye on the moves they want to make in the summer window.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.