West Ham agree £18m Mads Hermansen deal as John Victor interest ends | OneFootball

The goalkeeper will compete with Alphonse Areola for a starting spot

West Ham have agreed a deal worth around £18million to sign Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.

An £8.4m package had been agreed for John, who had also agreed personal terms, but that deal is now dead with Hermansen the desired target.

Hermansen, 25, has reportedly been of interest to a number of clubs in England and abroad, after impressing during Leicester's relegation from the Premier League last season, but is now expected to join West Ham.

Hammers goalkeeper coach Casper Ankergren, who was appointed last month, worked with Hermansen at Brondby.

West Ham’s push to add keepers is indicative of the club’s confidence in Alphonse Areola. The Frenchman was unconvincing last season and has shown scant improvement in pre-season. He made a glaring error as West Ham were beaten by Manchester United in New York last week, giving up a penalty as he scrambled to recover a dropped high ball.

Hermansen will be the club’s fifth senior signing of the summer, after deals for Kyle Walker-Peters, Callum Wilson, El Hadji Malick Diouf, and Jean-Clair Todibo were completed earlier in the window.

Graham Potter has kept his cards close to his chest this summer when discussing transfer business. Asked this weekend where West Ham were looking to improve, he simply said: “We’re working behind the scenes and if there’s an opportunity to strengthen, we will.”