After a disappointing campaign last season, the Hammers are active in the transfer window. Graham Potter has made signing a goalkeeper a priority, especially after the departure of Łukasz Fabiański.
Starting in his first full season in charge, Potter looks to strengthen his side, with a goalkeeper reportedly a priority.
Throughout the window, West Ham have been linked to a few goalkeepers, such as Parma’s Japanese goalkeeper and Southampton’s Aaron Ramsdale. Though in recent days, Danish international Mads Hermansen has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Alphonse Areola.
This transfer may also be helped on with the appointment of West Ham’s new goalkeeper coach Casper Ankergren, who had previously worked at Brøndby.
Who is Mads Hermansen?
Hermansen signed for Brøndby’s academy in 2015, getting promoted to their senior side in 2019. He made his first start for ‘Drengene Fra Vestegnen’ in a 1-0 win in the Danish Cup just a year later.
At the end of that season, Brøndby, for the first time since 2005, were crowned champions of the Danish Superliga, though it wouldn’t be until the season after that that Hermansen would become the club’s first choice.
After Marvin Schwäbe departed the club for Koln in Germany, Hermansen would make 69 appearances for the club over two seasons. This even included starts in European competitions such as the Europa League and Conference League.
Such great performances led Hermansen to receive the Brøndby Player of the Year award in 2022.
This earned him a move to Leicester City, off the back of Premier League relegation in July 2023. His first professional start for the club came against Coventry at home, where the Foxes won 2-1.
He once again went on to impress, earning a place in the Championship Team of the Season after Leicester’s promotion back to the Premier League.
Albeit the Season that followed wouldn’t be so great. With an ever-widening gap between Championship and Premier League clubs, Leicester City, alongside fellow promoted sides Southampton and Ipswich Town, would be relegated.
This would statistically be the worst-promoted sides in Premier League history.
Despite this, the Danish international made impressive saves throughout the season, including 15 saves in a 4-2 loss away to Arsenal.
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West Ham’s Transfer Activity This Summer
Hermansen is a ball-playing goalkeeper, whereas current first choice Areola is considered to struggle with playing the ball out from the back. This was especially the case last season, where Potter’s side would concede sloppy goals.
This is only one edition to the many improvements that Potter will be looking to expand upon after their 14th-place finish in the Premier League last season.
In terms of defence, the club have made three transfers. In June, Jean-Clair Todibo was signed on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee from OGC Nice. He spent last season on loan at the Hammers.
El Hadji Malick Diouf has also signed for West Ham from Slavia Prague in the Hammers’ biggest deal so far this summer. The Senegalese international made 41 appearances for the Czech-based side last season, including eight appearances in the UEFA Europa League. He played in Senegal’s 3-1 win against England.
The club has also signed right-wing back Kyle Walker-Peters from Southampton. This was after his transfer to Turkish Super Lig side Besiktas broke down.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / IPS
Recording Date: 26.04.2025