West Ham United star Mads Hermansen is in danger of being usurped as the first-choice goalkeeper at the London Stadium just a matter of weeks after his arrival from Leicester City as head coach Graham Potter is tempted to sign a new shot-stopper before the summer transfer window closes, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.
Having already been consigned to convincing defeats at the hands of newly-promoted Sunderland and Chelsea, the Hammers were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday and captain Jarrod Bowen had to be pulled away from a confrontation with supporters after the clash.
An agreement has been reached for West Ham to recruit defensive midfielder Soungoutou Magassa for up to £17.2million from Ligue 1 outfit Monaco, but there is still an appetite to dip into the market for further reinforcements ahead of the fast-approaching September 1 deadline.
Hermansen's Hammers Place is Under Threat
Mads Hermansen applauding the West Ham United supporters
West Ham are considering replacing Hermansen in the coming days, according to GMS sources, with Botafogo custodian John Victor firmly in their sights as a potential last-minute addition even though the east Londoners initially walked away from a deal earlier in the summer.
The Hammers have made a fresh loan offer for the Brazilian, which would include an obligation to buy if he goes on to make 25 Premier League appearances, as there is determination to make themselves more difficult for opponents to break down as they aim to turn their season around.
GMS sources have been informed that West Ham chiefs are already regretting their decision to acquire Hermansen after Potter, who has steered the east Londoners to just five wins from 22 competitive fixtures at the helm, really pushed to land him following Leicester's relegation to the Championship.
Graham Potter's statistics in charge of West Ham United
The Denmark international sealed a £20million switch from the King Power Stadium earlier this month and, having dislodged Alphonse Areola as the preferred option between the sticks, went on to concede eight goals in the losses to Sunderland and Chelsea in the early stages of the Premier League campaign.
Influential figures behind the scenes are worried by Hermansen's performances since embarking on a fresh challenge, GMS sources have learned, and that has resulted in West Ham genuinely considering securing another goalkeeper before the transfer window slams shut on Monday.
Decision-Makers Regret Not Recruiting Victor
John Victor in action for Botafogo
GMS sources have been told that some key decision-makers at West Ham are adamant that they should have reached an agreement for Victor as they made preparations for the new season, leading to there being concerns about the options they currently have at their disposal.
Although Hermansen was handed a five-year contract at the London Stadium, which has an option of being extended by a further 12 months, there is a serious possibility that he will fall down the pecking order before the September 1 deadline due to being guilty of making errors in the early stages of his Hammers career.
Potter made it clear to the recruitment department that his preference was to sign the 25-year-old instead of Victor, GMS sources understand, but the latter is still being eyed by West Ham and negotiations are taking place with Brazilian side Botafogo ahead of making the trip to Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
GMS sources recently revealed that the east Londoners have been having second thoughts about landing Hayden Hackney from Championship side Middlesbrough, despite the central midfielder being on their shortlist of targets, but the Hammers are still planning to seal the addition of fresh faces.
All statistics courtesy of Sofascore - correct as of 27/08/2025
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