FOLLOWING news that a number of clubs are monitoring Dani Lopez’s situation at Stevenage, manager Graham Westley has spoken of how he hopes the Spanish striker will stay at the Lamex Stadium.

Lopez was not believed to be in Westley’s thoughts to challenge for a first-team place, and it was widely expected that the 27-year-old would move on this summer.

However, some impressive pre-season performances have impressed Westley, and he is hoping a fit and motivated Lopez can be a key weapon in the Stevenage armoury.

“It’s up to you to show how good you are, and to prove them [people] wrong,” said Westley.

“Everybody here while they’re wearing the Stevenage shirt gets all the support they could possibly expect to get from me, the management staff and the football club, it’s the only way it can be

“We have all seen lads who have been listed, you look at Dani Lopez, to see a player I didn’t want here who in the last three or four weeks he has banged in hat-trick after hat-trick and now I wouldn’t want him leave the club.

“Things change in football, people’s motivations change, people respond to changes, and Lopez is the classic example of that.”

Lopez registered a notable hat-trick against local rivals Hitchin Town in a 5-0 friendly victory.

Rumours this week suggested a number of League 1 and Scottish Premier League teams were preparing to make a move for the former Badajoz frontman, but Westley’s latest statement suggests Lopez is very much in his thoughts ahead of the League 1 opener against Oldham Athletic tomorrow (Saturday).