Graham Potter
(Credit: Imago)
Declan Carr
Mon 30 June 2025 11:32, UK
West Ham are set to appoint Linus Kandolin as their new goalkeeping coach.
Xavi Valero left his post at the end of the season after initially joining in 2018 when Mauricio Pellegrini was in charge of the London Stadium outfit.
The Hammers announced his exit last month, and it looks like they have finally found a replacement in Kandolin, who has been with Elfsborg.
The Swede will work with Alphonse Areola, Wes Foderingham and Krisztian Hegyi, but there may be a new transfer on the cards.
Alphonse Areola
Kandolin will work with Areola and others. (Credit: Imago)
West Ham set to replace Valero with Kandolin
Graham Potter looks set to replace Valero with Kandolin, whom he worked with at Ostersunds before he left to join Swansea in 2018.
MORE WEST HAM STORIES
A report from Swedish outlet Fotbollskanalen (30 June) claims that the Hammers are set to buy out his contract at Elfsborg, likely with a compensation fee.
It states that the Irons may sign a new goalkeeper upon Kandolin’s arrival in East London after Lukasz Fabianksi’s departure.
West Ham
Fabianski departed this summer.
Goalkeeper should be a priority for West Ham
A new number one between the sticks should be a priority for the Hammers ahead of the new campaign.
The E20 outfit conceded the sixth-most goals in the Premier League last season, and they desperately need a new man in the position to ensure that does not happen again.
Stats (Premier League) Fabianksi Areola
Matches 14 26
Conceded 21 41
Clean sheets 2 4
Fabianski v Areola in the league last season.
They were linked with Caoimhin Kelleher before the ex-Liverpool ace completed a move to Brentford, and it remains to be seen where they take their search for a new keeper after that.
Chelsea’s Djorde Petrovic and Freiburg’s Noah Atubolu have also been mooted as potential new additions, but so far, no interest has been acted upon by David Sullivan.
The Irons also have other priorities, with centre-back, midfield and attack all coming under the microscope and several players touted for those positions, such as Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Tyler Morton and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Now that they have their new goalkeeping coach in place, a move for a new stopper should be accelerated, and Potter will hopefully have one less area of his squad to worry about ahead of what could be a pivotal campaign for his hopes of remaining in his post long-term.
Sign up for the West Ham Zone WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking West Ham United news sent straight to your phone.
Related Posts