Like Jarrod Bowen was, West Ham’s potential next signing is also ‘too good for the Championship’
Jarrod Bowen has undoubtedly been one of the best pieces of transfer business at West Ham in the last few years.
The Englishman arrived from Hull City in January 2020, in a £20million move that saw him complete a remarkable rise that had began with hometown club Hereford United in the National League.
Bowen has developed into a phenomenal player at West Ham, and is now at the stage where he is regularly among the Premier League’s most productive forwards, as well as being a regular for England.
The Hammers used their eye for a player to prize Bowen away from the Championship, and now they could be about to repeat the same trick with one of the second tier’s most exciting talents.
West Ham make Mads Hermansen approach
Concerns surrounding Alphonse Areola have made a new goalkeeper a priority for West Ham this summer, and it looks as if they could now be about to get their way.
Graham Potter’s side have had Leicester City’s Mads Hermansen in their sights for some time now, and it is looking increasingly likely that he could become their new number one.
The East Londoners are now understood to have made a formal approach to sign the Danish shot stopper, according to Ben Jacobs via Instagram (31 July).
The 25-year-old was part of the Foxes side that were relegated from the Premier League last time out, but he received plenty of plaudits for his performances, despite his side’s struggles.
Kasper Schmeichel’s verdict on Hermansen
Hermansen could become the next goalkeeper to star at the London Stadium, and he has already attracted praise from some of the biggest names in the game.
Denmark has a long history of producing top-level ‘keepers, and one of the best in recent years Kasper Schmeichel, has already earmarked the Leicester man as a special talent.
- Hermansen kept 13 clean sheets for Leicester as they were promoted in 2023/24
- He played more accurate long passes than any other Championship ‘keeper that season
- He was one of their standout performers in the Premier League, despite relegation
The former Premier League winner narrowly missed out on working with him in the East Midlands, but he has spent ample time with his fellow gloveman as part of their country’s international setup.
Schmeichel heaped praise on Hermansen in a March 2025 interview with the Danish outlet Bold, in which he referred to his compatriot as a ‘keeper who has proven that he “belongs on the top shelf.”
Hermansen is yet to make his senior bow for his country, but Schmeichel has already outlined him and Chelsea’s Filip Jorgensen as the future of Danish goalkeeping.
What else has been said about the West Ham target?
Hermansen would be an exciting signing for West Ham, and his reputation extends much further in the game.
Danish legend Brian Laudrup recently told Tips Bladet that he feels the 25-year-old has “proven he is too good for the Championship,” and should therefore be looking for a move.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca was the man who previously brought Hermansen to the King Power Stadium, and he also lavished praise on him after securing his signing.
The Italian told the Leicester Mercury that he was the ‘keeper he “desired to have since day one” at Leicester.
Hermansen’s distribution is his key strength
Hermansen’s distribution is a hallmark of his game that sets him apart from other ‘keepers.
The ability to claim crosses effectively, be a reliable shot stopper and handle the ball well are all major attributes that are required in top-level ‘keepers, but being capable with their feet is increasingly important.
| Attribute | Percentage |
| Short Pass Completion | 97.4% |
| Medium Pass Completion | 94.8% |
| Long Pass Completion | 32.7% |
The former Brondby man completed more accurate long passes than any other Championship gloveman during Leicester’s promotion season in 2023/24, and he proved himself to be a capable distributor in the Premier League once again last term.
West Ham’s goalkeeping situation has become unsettled recently as Lukasz Fabianski has reached the latter stages of his career, but Hermansen could be the man to step between the posts for several years to come in E20.
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