West Ham United hold a strong interest in Barcelona defender Thomas Vermaelen, who has also been linked with Italian giants Roma.

Roma have held talks with Barcelona aimed at signing Vermaelen, but the Catalan giants want €15m for the centre-back, a figure the Giallorossi are not willing to reach and one which has caused them to close in on Tottenham Hotspur's Federico Fazio.
 



According to Italian outlet Tutto Mercato, West Ham are also keen on Vermaelen and are putting in the legwork to make a deal happen.

Roma are not completely out of the picture and could still snap up Vermaelen if Barcelona agree to loan him out.
 


And the Giallorossi have also been encouraged by the fact that Vermaelen's agents have made clear their client's desire to play in Italy.

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A move to Roma would also mean Champions League football next term, while West Ham are only in the Europa League.

Roma finished in third spot in Serie A last season, but conceded 21 more goals than champions Juventus in their 38 league games.

The Giallorossi also lost defender Antonio Rudiger to injury earlier this summer.