West Ham are said to be closing on a new signingplaceholder image
West Ham are said to be closing on a new signing | Getty Images
West Ham are said to be closing in on a ‘bargain’ transfer.
West Ham are now set to sign a Championship goalkeeper to add competition for Alphonse Areola, and it may be a wise move. The Hammers looked all set to sign John Victor from Botafogo, but that deal fell apart, leading the Iron back to a previous target.
Hermansen has been with the Foxes since 2023, making 71 league appearances. During Leicester’s promotion in the season before last, he won a spot in the Championship Team of the Season.
Potter seems to want a real competition at for the goalkeeper starting spot, and Hermansen will push Areola for the starting spot, even if he has to be patient initially.
Speaking about the possible transfer, former Denmark international Peter Kjaer told TipBladet: “If he goes in and becomes the first-choice goalkeeper, and he has a long and fine career at West Ham, then it’s a bargain, but if he becomes the second-choice goalkeeper and plays in the small competitions, then it’s not a bargain. Then he’s a squad player.
“I don’t think that will be a theme here at all. If I were to put my savings on it, we’re dealing with something that could well be a bargain. He has huge potential; he’s still only 25 years old.”
He added: “It’s the manager who buys him. He didn’t buy Areola, so in some way it’s always nice that the manager who has you is also the one who buys you. So, in that way, I can also see that if he reaches the level he did in the first half at Leicester, I will also consider him to be a better goalkeeper than Alphonse Areola.”
Hermansen was one of the few standout performers for Leicester last season, especially early on. Speaking about the praise he received to the same publication, he said at the time: “It has been quite nice. On a team level, we might have liked to see a point or two more on the account, but it has been as it has been. Overall, it has been okay, but there is also room for improvement.
“(At Arsenal) it was busy, but that's how it is sometimes. I'm happy that I was able to contribute with a few saves, but of course it ended with zero points, so there wasn't much to celebrate afterwards either.
“It's nice to hear that people think I've done a good job, but as you say, the best effort from a losing team's goalkeeper, that's nice, but it sounds a bit hollow, one way or another. Not the statements, you know, but the feeling for me. It's nice to be able to contribute, but of course I'm tired of the fact that we couldn't hold on to the one point.”
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