First West Ham exit of Julen Lopetegui era has been agreed – report

Julen Lupetegui has reportedly sanctioned the first sale of his West Ham tenure, according to TEAMtalk.

It’s reported that goalkeeper Nathan Trott has been the subject of a £2million offer from FC Copenhagen, which West Ham have accepted.

The 25-year-old has spent the last two seasons on loan in Denmark with Vejle BK, where he has made 56 appearances and kept 22 clean sheets. His form in the Danish Superliga had caught the eye of Denmark giants FC Copenhagen, who have reportedly been in discussions with West Ham over a possible deal for a number of weeks.

Trott has made just one first-team appearance for West Ham, which came via a seven minute cameo off the bench in a FA Cup fourth round victory over Doncaster Rovers in January 2021.

His entire West Ham career has been spent either as a third-choice goalkeeper or on loan, with spells at AFC Wimbledon, Nancy and Vejle BK.

But it appears his time at West Ham will finally come to an end this summer, despite West Ham opting to take up a two-year extension option in Trott’s contract earlier this summer. Lopetegui, it seems, has had a change of heart and is happy for the goalkeeper to leave permanently.

West Ham’s goalkeeper situation

The initial decision to extend Trott’s contract for two more years perhaps hinted that he would return to the club this summer and act as third choice behind Lukasz Fabianski and Alphonse Areola.

However, with Trott’s move to FC Copenhagen reportedly on the cards and the release of Joseph Anang this summer, it’s looking likely that one position Lopetegui will be looking to recruit is goalkeeper, with a new third choice shot stopper expected to be signed before the end of the summer window.

It is understandably a difficult position to recruit for, as a third choice goalkeeper should expect next to no game time in the first-team whatsoever.

It’s a role in the squad that would either suit a very young, up and coming goalkeeper or one which is at the end of his career and looking for one last contract before retirement.

Which way Lopetegui and his recruitment team go is still unclear, although there are reports from Alan Nixon, via his Patron, that suggest West Ham might look to sign Luton Town’s 36-year-old goalkeeper Tim Krul.