Rating every Leicester City summer signing - #3: Mads Hermansen
Five goalkeepers, Enzo? Five? That’s insane.
Brondby and, inevitably, Denmark ‘keeper Mads Hermansen is the latest name through the revolving entrance door at Seagrave.
How many marks out of 10 did our writers give the latest name to join the battle for the #1 shirt?
Matt Jedruch: 10
Admittedly, I had never heard of Hermansen until approximately 72 hours ago. However, the more I read about him and witness various clips of him clipping pinpoint 40-yard passes with both feet and making ridiculous double saves, the more excited I am to see him in a Leicester shirt.
I was relatively happy with the prospect of Iversen going forward following his reasonable performances last season and previous success with Preston in the Championship. I don’t think many fans would have grumbled if we didn’t end up signing a new GK, but the move for Hermansen demonstrates that Maresca and the board are committed to and invested in executing a new playing style, which is all very positive.
Hermansen is the current Danish No. 2 and has admirers in the Premier League, so it’s difficult not to see this signing as anything less than another coup. The rumoured fee seems ridiculously low given he has two years left on his contract, and he will probably be on similar wages to the true Fans Player of the Season 2022/2023: Alex Smithies. I have no reason not to give this signing full marks all things considered.
Chris Iliffe: 8
I like the look of him and have a strong feeling that Mads will be our number 1 for the next few years. I think that this particular signing shows the intent of Enzo and the coaching team more than any other so far. It's clear he wants a GK who is comfortable at his feet who can distribute the ball and get involved with the play from the back.
I'm a big fan of Daniel Iversen but I can see Mads getting the nod for the number 1 shirt straight away. It might take him a few games to gain some confidence and I also have slight concerns over his height and physicality, but he seems like a confident lad and it's nice to finally freshen up the goalkeeping area.
I also think his signing will give Viktor Kristiansen a new lease of life at the club. VK has so much potential and having another Danish buddy around can only help him to settle and feel more comfortable in the squad. As Jamie Vardy once famously commented: "Oooo Danish Friend!"
Iain Wright: 7.5
I'll have to be honest and say I'd not heard of him before last week. I've subsequently seen a few bits on YouTube but even then the ghosts of Kaebi and Kermogant quickly made me log out and wait until I see him live.
I was happy to go with Iversen this season, but it's clear his lack footballing skills is seriously at odds with what Enzo needs from a goalkeeper. What I will say though, even in 2023, the primary job of the 'keeper is to keep the ball out of the net, so let's hope he's like Cambiasso with the ball and Petr Cech with his gloves.
Young, hungry, point to prove, serious potential. Let's do it .
Helen Thompson: 7
Behold the new heir to Kasper's vacant throne? I said I was going to be measured but this one feels exciting. He's trained with Kasper, he's got the same build and he's young. I'll admit to having never seen him play and so I've been frantically looking at some YouTube footage to try and make a snap judgement, but still.
Maresca is going to want a goalkeeper who can play with his feet, and Mads certainly seems to be that. That alone may see Mads take the number one spot and is likely one of the factors in the changing the guard away from Mike Stowell as goalkeeping coach. It's a little different for us too to have a goalkeeper like this.
It speaks pretty highly of him that he got the player of the year award at Brondby and left me wondering, has a goalkeeper ever earned that title for the Foxes? The highlights I have seen show him to be very decisive and with incredibly quick reflexes. This feels like another incredibly positive sign in the type of play and style we can expect from Maresca.
It's also great to have more fresh blood injected into the team and if he's anywhere near as hard-working and committed as our other recently acquired Dane, Kristiansen, it's a bonus. I haven't been this excited for a new goalkeeper since we signed Schmeichel, so no pressure Mads!
Andrew Smith: 8
Danny Iversen, Danny Ward, Jakub Stolarczyk and Brad Young have been at the club for a combined total of 16 years. And yet seemingly we need another young keeper. Arguably the role of ‘keeper has changed and become more important, but even so Hermansen’s arrival is yet another unmistakeable indictment of the club’s recruitment policy and our ability to develop players to Premier League standards.
So Welcome Mads – hopefully there will be a spare keeper shirt for you – and presumably you’ll set new standards of distribution. Assuming you do and can also combine the shot-stopping qualities of Iversen, you’re an 8/10 for me.
Becky Taylor: 7.5
Signing him all but confirms I won't have to see Danny Ward play for us again means he probably deserves a 10/10.
I'm a self-confessed transfer window hater, who equally has minimal knowledge of other European football so I cannot pretend I know anything about this guy.
I've watched his highlights reel going round on socials, he's Danish - which seems to be a key characteristic of goalkeepers we like - and everyone seems to think he's a brilliant signing, so I'm onboard.
