West Ham are closing in on a deal for Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, according to insider source ExWHUEmployee.

Writing on The West Ham Way Patreon (quotes via the website), Ex confirmed that the Hammers are hoping to seal the signature of the Denmark international soon:

“West Ham have agreed an £18m deal for Mads Hermansen, we can confirm. The deal is described as 90 per cent done by our top source, so the finer details of the payments are still to be confirmed. This will then, of course, follow with the medical.

Considering that Leicester were demanding pretty much double that fee earlier in the summer, it would be an excellent deal for the Irons if the move is finalised.

What happened with John Victor?

Ex suggested that the bid for the Brazilian shot-stopper was a “smoke screen” but that is very unlikely. What appears to have happened is that West Ham were negotiating on the two transfers concurrently.

They would have been prepared to sign John if they hadn’t made a breakthrough in talks with Leicester for Hermansen.

However, when the Foxes backed down on their asking price, the club pulled out of the move for John. There was never a chance that two keepers would have been signed due to the limited transfer budget.

West Ham have secured their top target

New goalkeeping coach Casper Ankergren had worked with Hermansen before at Brondby and he had recommended him to both head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay and head coach Graham Potter.

For most of the summer, though, a deal for the Dane didn’t look to be on the cards, but it seems Leicester’s financial situation has forced them into lowering their demands for the keeper.

Hermansen will be the club’s fifth summer signing. Jean-Clair Todibo officially joined the Irons on July 1st, following his loan spell, while El Hadji Malick Diouf, Kyle Walker-Peters and Callum Wilson have also been brought in.

In other news, West Ham reportedly had a bid “rejected” for a German shot-stopper