Leicester City braced for bid as ‘top’ star ‘wants to join’ Premier League giants after holding talks

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EFL Analysis can confirm that Leicester City are poised to lose one of their prized assets this summer, in a major blow to Marti Cifuentes’ push for promotion to the Premier League.

Since suffering relegation from the Premier League back to the Championship last season, Leicester City have endured an equally difficult start to the summer transfer window.

After weeks of delays and speculation, Ruud van Nistelrooy left Leicester by mutual consent, which has led to former QPR boss Marti Cifuentes succeeding the Manchester United legend.

Cifuentes was unveiled by Leicester last week, and the Spaniard has inherited a squad still reeling from relegation, and one which could be stripped of assets by the time the 2025/26 Championship campaign’s fixture list kicks off.

The Foxes are braced for bids for several high-profile stars this summer as transfer vultures circle over the King Power Stadium, and EFL Analysis can confirm the latest imminent departure at Leicester.

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Leicester City goalkeeper Mads Hermansen is ‘top choice’ for West Ham United

In the wake of relegation, the Foxes are expecting a testing summer transfer window with high-profile departures expected.

Sunderland are interested in Bilal El Khannouss, and club captain Conor Coady is “desperate” to join Rangers after making his wish to leave Leicester clear.

King Power’s financial concerns have put player sales at the forefront of Leicester fans’ fears, and now those are set to ensnare goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.

EFL Analysis can confirm, via information from our Chief Football correspondent, Graeme Bailey, that Premier League giants West Ham United have made Hermansen their “top choice” to come in between the sticks, with a bid inbound this week.

Bailey explained that Hermansen “wants to join West Ham”, and they have held talks, and that a bid is expected this week.

The 25-year-old has emerged as their top choice to come in, he has been recommended by Casper Ankergren, West Ham’s new goalkeeping coach, who worked with Hermansen at Brondby.

West Ham also considered Stoke City shot-stopper Viktor Johansson, but Hermansen has emerged as the preferred option at this point.

Despite suffering a testing campaign for the Foxes last season during their ill-fated campaign, Hermansen has proved he has Premier League capabilities, and his exit comes just three months after van Nistelrooy admitted he was desperate for the Dane to stay.

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Ruud van Nistelrooy wanted to keep Mads Hermansen at Leicester City

Before his exit, van Nistelrooy made clear his feelings regarding the goalkeeper’s footballing future, with Hermansen always being seen as a contender to leave this summer given his positive outings last season.

Via Leicestershire Live, van Nistelrooy said of Hermansen in April when asked if he could attract a big fee: “Of course, but the most important thing is to keep your best players.

“That is the target. Let’s see how the coming weeks go in getting aligned.

“We know his qualities and he’s looking for top performances himself. He’s been showing those in recent games, but he’s also had a couple of moments that he wasn’t happy with and that’s his character.

“I can only appreciate that, the way he lives his sport and how he wants to be the best he can possibly be.

“It hasn’t always worked for him, but the qualities, we believe in them.”

Hermansen arrived from Brondby in 2023 for a fee of £6.5m, and now the Dane could be worth significantly more than that outlay after proving himself as a top flight standard goalkeeper despite Leicester’s relegation.