West Ham and Chelsea should strike a swap deal in the January window.placeholder image
West Ham and Chelsea should strike a swap deal in the January window. | AFP via Getty Images
Chelsea have a wantaway star in their squad who could be an improvement on current options available at West Ham.
West Ham are expected to be busy in the January transfer window with a new striker and a new centre-back top of the shopping list. Once those are sorted, there is perhaps another problematic position for Nuno Espirito Santo and the club to turn attention to.
Alphonse Areola is currently first choice goalkeeper at the London Stadium but it’s a position that has caused headaches this term. The Hammers splurged £20 million to sign Mads Hermansen from Leicester City this summer.
Under Graham Potter, the 25-year-old was ushered straight into the starting XI but a series of shaky performances soon saw him dropped. Areola reclaimed the role, and has had strong moment since, but the decision to re-sign veteran Lukasz Fabianski on a free deal suggested that the club remained unconvinced.
West Ham summer signing could leave London Stadium
While the goalkeeping position is not a priority incoming, sooner or later West Ham need to sign a number one who can be undisputed in the role. Hammers News claims that Hermansen could even be sold in January, just six months after he joined.
It could be hard to convince a club to take on Hermansen given his form for West Ham but one manager who knows him well is Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca. That could be of use with reports from The Athletic journalist Simon Johnson that Filip Jorgensen wants to leave Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea are said not to want to lose their second-choice goalkeeper but the player has made it clear that he needs first team football ahead of the World Cup next summer. Offering an out of form Hermansen to title-chasing Chelsea would be audacious, but might just work for West Ham.
West Ham should offer Chelsea goalkeeper swap deal
Maresca was in charge at Leicester City when Hermansen was signed by the Foxes and managed the player as the Championship side were promoted. Maresca labelled Hermansen as ‘brilliant’ ahead of facing the Foxes last season and the player has been linked with a move to Chelsea since Maresca arrived at Stamford Bridge.
Hermansen needs someone to restore his confidence and get the best out of him, and there’s no one better to do that than Maresca. He wouldn’t need to play for Chelsea week-in, week-out, with Robert Sanchez still number one.
In return for offering a Hermansen-Maresca reunion, West Ham could ask that Jorgensen makes the switch to the London Stadium. The 23-year-old is nine years younger than Areola and could be a long-term solution to the ongoing goalkeeper problem.
While the Denmark international is not first choice at Stamford Bridge, he comes with pedigree having won the Europa League with Villarreal in 2021 and the Conference League with Chelsea this year.
Former West Ham star Joe Cole is one of many pundits who have praised the goalkeeper when afforded a chance. After a win over Heidenheim last season, Cole said: “Filip Jorgensen was good in goal tonight. You don’t hear his name too much because he isn’t flashy. He has faced a lot of shots and he has produced moments. He will be pushing for a start over Robert Sanchez.”
In other news, West Ham's first January signing should be obvious with loan move for Arsenal wonderkid the ideal step.
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