(Credit: Imago, Getty)

Oliver Walton

Wed 6 August 2025 9:00, UK

Leicester City could now look to raid Stoke City and sign standout goalkeeper Viktor Johansson as the Foxes’ first-choice stopper Mads Hermansen edges closer to a move to West Ham.

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Leicester are preparing for life back in the Championship after a dismal Premier League campaign saw them relegated with 25 points in 18th place.

Marti Cifuentes has been appointed as the Foxes’ new boss ahead of the new season, and their squad has gone through some big changes after club legend Jamie Vardy left at the end of last term, while Conor Coady has departed to join Wrexham.

(Credit Imago)

Their goalkeeping ranks already look very different compared to May following the exits of Danny Ward and Daniel Iversen and the arrival of veteran stopper Asmir Begovic after he left Everton at the end of his contract.

More change could be on the horizon in-between the sticks for the Foxes, and the potential departure of Hermansen could see them look close to home for a replacement who is already familiar with the King Power Stadium.

25-year-old Hermansen has impressed for Leicester in the two years since his arrival from Brondby, and former scout Mick Brown revealed to Football Insider last month that the Foxes stopper is a main target for West Ham this summer.

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According to talkSPORT (5 August), the Hammers are making a “fresh push” to sign Hermansen, with terms are already in place with the Leicester stopper.

West Ham looked to have agreed a deal to sign Botafogo’s John Victor, but the East London outfit’s coaching staff reportedly prefer Hermansen to the Brazilian, and so the club are going back in for the Foxes man despite previously appearing to move on from him as a target.

(Credit: Imago)

Johansson was one of the best goalkeepers in the second-tier last season at Stoke, as he ended the campaign with the second-highest xG goals prevented (10.9) and the second-highest saves per 90 (3.3) of all keepers, as well as with 14 clean sheets – the joint-fourth-best in the league [Fotmob].

The Swedish international stopper caught the eye in the Potteries just like he did in his four years prior at Rotherham United, and at just 26-years-old, he still has room to get even better and develop into a top-class goalkeeper.

Fabrizio Romano recently reported that Johansson “can leave Stoke in the next days/weeks”, with a number of Premier League clubs believed to be keen on signing him after his impressive campaign in a struggling Potters side.

https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1952307299524948337

West Ham had considered a move, according to Romano, but soon moved on, and their decision to go for Hermansen could instead leave the Foxes open to make a move for his fellow Scandinavian stopper.

Stoke-on-Trent Live’s Pete Smith has stated that the Potters are still not expecting any approach for Johansson’s services this summer, but things change quickly in football and Leicester would be able to offer a fee too good for Stoke to refuse if they wanted to sign the Swede.

AppearancesGoals concededClean sheets15522637Johansson’s Championship career stats

He is believed to be happy at the bet365 Stadium after just one year, yet a move to a club more likely to make it into the Premier League like the Foxes would surely appeal, and the fact he was on their books between 2018 and 2020 would make a move even more realistic, as he is familiar with life at the King Power Stadium and may feel he has unfinished business.

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