An “excellent footballer” could be “on his way” to West Ham United this summer, as he is now expected to leave his current club, reporter Gianluca Di Marzio has revealed.
Major changes needed at the London Stadium
It is set to be a summer of change at the London Stadium, off the back of a disappointing 2024-25 campaign, with some long-serving players, such as Vladmir Coufal, Aaron Cresswell and Lukasz Fabianski needing to be replaced.
The trio have all been released upon the expiration of their contracts, and there could be some further departures, with the Hammers open to offers for Mohammed Kudus, while Lucas Paqueta has made it clear he wants to leave the club this summer.
Graham Potter may also be keen to inject some youth into his squad, given that his side were, on average, the second-oldest in the Premier League last season, behind only Fulham, and a new target has now been identified by recruitment chiefs.
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The Hammers have made their first move to sign a midfielder.
That is according to Di Marzio, who recently told Tipsbladet that the Hammers have now set their sights on Leicester City goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.
The reporter said: “Mads Hermansen could be on his way to West Ham. The club really likes him and it could be a good opportunity for him.
“I don’t believe he will stay at Leicester. And I think West Ham would be the right option for him.”
The report goes on to state that Hermansen is contracted at the King Power Stadium until 2028, meaning Leicester are in a position to command a good fee for the £10k-a-week goalkeeper, although it is unclear how much they would be looking to receive.
“Excellent” Hermansen could be solid Fabianski replacement
It is clear that West Ham need to bring in a new option between the sticks, following the departure of long-serving goalkeeper Fabianski, and there are some signs the Leicester ace could be a solid signing, at least as a back-up for Alphonse Areola.
Despite Leicester enduring a dismal 2024-25 campaign, Ruud van Nistelrooy was left impressed by the Dane before the turn of the year, with the former Foxes boss saying: “He’s having a very good season overall. He makes a lot of saves, we’re trying to reduce that amount. Mads is all around. He’s a good shot-stopper, excellent footballer.”
Perhaps most notably, the 24-year-old also became the first goalkeeper to deny Chelsea star Cole Palmer from the penalty spot, producing a top save at Stamford Bridge back in March.
Given his age, Hermansen could be a solid long-term replacement for Fabianski, and some of the goalkeeper’s performances suggest he may be capable of pushing for a starting spot straight away, so it is promising news that West Ham have now entered the race for his signature,
