Formed by Hammers supporters Jack Elderton and Callum Goodall to offer their fellow fans in-depth but accessible analysis of their team and its players, Analytics United provide content for the Club's official website, app, Official Programme and social media channels.
Today, Analytics United use performance analysis and data to examine the contribution Mads Hermansen could make to West Ham United...
West Ham United have confirmed the signing of goalkeeper Mads Hermansen from Leicester City. The 25-year-old will compete with Alphonse Areola for the number one spot in East London following the Foxes’ relegation to the Championship at the end of the 2024/25 season.
Hermansen began his senior career in Denmark with Brøndby IF, the third-most decorated club in the country’s football history. He quickly impressed as a young goalkeeper after taking over from German stopper Marvin Schwäbe, who departed for 1. FC Köln at the start of the 2021/22 season. Back then, while working closely with recently appointed West Ham lead goalkeeper coach Casper Ankergren, Hermansen rose to prominence thanks to his standout qualities in build-up play. He ranked especially highly for the total number of passes played, favouring shorter, controlled distribution, whilst also putting in reliable shot-stopping performances too, with a 72.5% save rate. That percentage would have ranked just above Liverpool’s Alisson in the Premier League last season (72%).
His performances soon earned him a place with Denmark’s U21s, where he became captain after just three appearances and led the side almost unbeaten through U21 Euros qualification for the 2023 finals, with the sole loss coming in a match he missed against Belgium. Although Denmark were eventually knocked out on penalties by Croatia in the play-offs, Hermansen had done enough to earn a call-up to the senior squad the following season, serving as backup to former Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. It almost felt like destiny when Leicester approached him at the end of the following Superliga season.
With neither Danny Ward nor Daniel Iversen proving capable of replacing Schmeichel (both ranking in the bottom six for goals prevented, a metric measuring goalkeeping performance based on shot quality), Hermansen was brought in to help the Foxes push for an immediate Premier League return.
That 2023/24 promotion campaign wasn’t too difficult for Leicester, whose squad was widely regarded as one of the strongest in Championship history. Guided by future Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, the Foxes played a Pep Guardiola-inspired, possession-dominant style on their way to the title. Still, Hermansen was a key figure, delivering an outstanding and consistent level of performance between the sticks. Shot stopping, the most fundamental quality for any goalkeeper, irrespective of tactics or style, was a particular strength. The young Dane topped the division for goals prevented, averaging 0.13 per 90 and saving almost six goals above expectation across the season. His save percentage of 73.4% ranked third among Championship goalkeepers, underscoring his reliability in net.
Beyond shot-stopping, Hermansen impressed with his command of the penalty area by claiming 6.3% of crosses, a dependable rate with scope for growth as a more vocal and proactive leader when defending balls into the box. His sweeping ability was exceptional, a trait West Ham will likely value greatly if Graham Potter’s side are to push higher up the pitch out of possession. Hermansen recorded the second-highest average distance for defensive actions in the Championship at 18.8 yards and the second-most sweeping actions outside his penalty area (77).His ball-playing skills were also elite: 47.2 passes per 90 (2nd in the league) at an average distance of just 25.9 yards (4th), showing both his heavy involvement and preference for measured, short distribution to centre-backs and full-backs rather than instinctively sending the ball upfield.
Leicester’s return to the Premier League last season proved to be too great a challenge, succumbing to relegation without much of a fight. Under Ruud van Nistelrooy from December onward, having parted ways with Steve Cooper after just five months in charge, the Foxes never quite managed to find their rhythm and eventually finished 18th, 13 points adrift of 17th-placed Spurs. Whilst Hermansen’s ball-playing and sweeping output suffered due to Leicester’s inability to take control of games as they had done in the Championship, his shot-stopping remained impressive. He finished the season with a positive goals prevented total of +1.4 despite facing the second-most shots of any starting goalkeeper. This resilience will be familiar to West Ham fans, who watched Hermansen make ten saves in Leicester’s 3-1 win over the Hammers at the King Power in December, despite being under sustained pressure for most of the match.
Even amid Leicester’s struggles, Hermansen still ranked highly for build-up involvement. He finished fifth amongst Premier League goalkeepers for passes per 90 (34.9) whilst maintaining a strong aerial presence, claiming 6.2% of crosses and outperforming the likes of Jordan Pickford, Ederson and Alisson.
Altogether, these numbers illustrate Hermansen’s standing as one of the most well-rounded younger goalkeepers in Europe’s top five leagues. His arrival represents a major coup for West Ham and Potter will hope that the Dane’s composure in possession and excellence as a sweeper can help the team take a big step towards the confident, more possession-dominant future being built in East London.
*The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of Analytics United and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of West Ham United.
