West Ham to cut their losses on £20m star as Nuno Espirito Santo lines up new signing
West Ham could allow Mads Hermansen to leave this month after a tough first six months at the club as they eye a deal to sign Al Nassr goalkeeper Bento.
West Ham signed Hermansen from Leicester last August for a reported fee of £20million [BBC], but he has failed to prove his worth so far with the East London outfit.
Hermansen struggled on his debut against Sunderland as he was immediately put on blast by Hammers fans, while he followed that up with another shaky showing against Chelsea.
Graham Potter stuck by him before eventually being sacked, but Nuno Espirito Santo has not handed a single minute of game-time to the Dane since his September arrival.
Alphonse Areola has shown some better form in between the sticks under Nuno recently, and new reports of the Hammers’ interest in a January goalkeeper signing could spell the end of Hermansen‘s short spell at the club.
West Ham plotting move for Al Nassr keeper Bento
Areola seems to have improved as the season has gone on, but West Ham‘s shoddy defending means he is yet to keep a clean sheet in 16 Premier League appearances up to now.
Nuno has Hermansen and Lukasz Fabianski waiting in the wings, but Fabrizio Romano has reported, via X, that the Hammers have launched a bid to sign Brazilian international stopper Bento this month.
The 26-year-old has picked up six Brazil caps since his debut in 2024, and has been a key man for Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr since he arrived from Athletico Paranaense that same year.
Bento kept nine clean sheets and conceded 40 goals in 34 Pro League games last season, as Al Nassr finished third, but he has been ousted by Nawaf Al Aqidi this season and has made just 10 appearances so far.
Hermansen could be on his way out as he falls further down the pecking order
Bento’s pedigree from his time in the Brazil national team is sure to stand him in good stead ahead of a potential move to East London, and Nuno is unlikely to want to sign him to be a number two behind Areola.
Regardless of whether he is brought in as a clear first choice or simply competition for the Frenchman, his arrival would push Hermansen down to third in the pecking order for a place between the sticks.
The Dane’s stock has obviously fallen in the last few months, but his strong performances at Leicester were enough to convince the Hammers that he was worth £20m, with other clubs sure to be interested in his services if he is made available for transfer this month.
Lazio have been linked to Hermansen in the last few weeks, and West Ham should certainly not find it difficult to find a suitor that is willing to take him off their hands.
Recouping such a fee for his signature does seem pretty unlikely, however, but a loan move until the end of the season may well suit all parties, as then he would be able to return to the London Stadium to fight for his place once more.