Credit: Imago

Josh Edwards

Sun 15 March 2026 20:10, UK

Mads Hermansen has had a rollercoaster of a season with West Ham United.

With the threat of relegation, a lack of goals at the start of the season and a managerial change, there have been plenty of talking points already in the current campaign.

But the one at the very start of it was in regard to Hermansen, after his summer transfer from Leicester City upon their relegation from the Premier League.

The Dane was dropped after four games, but has since returned to play a key role in West Ham’s battle against relegation, and stats showcase why Nuno Espirito Santo was right to make the decision that he did.

Stats showcase where Mads Hermansen has improved

As mentioned above, Hermansen lasted just four games at West Ham before he was dropped by Graham Potter and replaced by Alphonse Areola.

The decision was warranted at the time, with the goalkeeper having conceded 11 goals in those four games, while having made just nine saves.

Hermansen had conceded 1.75 more goals than expected when taking into account the quality of shot faces, showcasing how much he struggled.

However, as demonstrated by the Sofascore graphic below, his performances since returning to the starting 11 have improved signficantly, with 24 saves in his last six games.

While he is still underperforming, his goals prevented metric has been reduced greatly, showcasing the confidence he is now playing with.

Hermansen was linked with a swift exit from West Ham in January, and they will be pleased that they refused to sanction that deal.

What could this mean for Alphonse Areola?

Areola was already being mooted for an exit from the London Stadium when he was their number one, so those fears will grow stronger now that he has lost his place.

The Frenchman is out of contract in 2027, meaning this summer will be the last chance for the Hammers to receive a fee for his exit.

At 33 years old, he will also undoubtedly want to be playing regular football, and if Hermansen is to keep up his current form, it’s highly unlikely he would get it here.