Amid all the reports suggesting a West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur swap deal could be on the cards – Mads Hermansen and Antonin Kinsky exchanging clubs – Saturday’s clash with Sunderland may prove a brutal reminder of past goalkeeping failings.
Just one week before West Ham United paid £18 million to bring Mads Hermansen to the London Stadium from Leicester City, Sunderland added a new shot-stopper to their ranks for half that fee.
A shot-stopper who, if reports are to be believed, was on the Hammers’ radar too.
Dutch publication Algemeen Dagblad reported at the end of July that West Ham were showing ‘serious interest’ in Robin Roefs of NEC Nijmegen. The Netherlands Under-21 international would join Sunderland just a few days later to the tune of £9 million.
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As for the Hammers, well, they have Graham Potter to thank for Hermansen’s eventual arrival instead.
Hammers News revealed at the time that Potter had selected the Leicester glovesman as his number one target. Casper Ankergren worked with Hermansen closely at Danish outfit Brondby, too. He was also a key factor in his signing.
Unsurprisingly, Hermansen blames the sacking of Potter and Ankergren in part for his miserable start to life in the capital. That duel departure certainly robbed the Scandinavian of his two biggest backers.
But as West Ham prepare to host high-flying Sunderland in Saturday’s early kick-off – Hermansen likely to start on the bench with Roefs the first name on Regis Le Bris’ team sheet – these respective summer signings go some way to explaining why there is a 16-point gap between the two sides in the Premier League table.
West Ham United really should have signed Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs
Not only has Roefs been an outstanding presence between the sticks, he is also a posterboy for Sunderland’s inspired recruitment drive.
Yes, the Black Cats followed promotion with a £155 million summer splurge. But you could buy two Roefs for the price West Ham paid for Hermansen. Granit Xhaka cost less than James Ward-Prowse. Nordi Mukiele less than Max Kilman. Enzo Le Fee less than Matheus Fernandes. Omar Alderete less than Jean-Clair Todibo.
The list goes on.
There is real value to be found in the market. It’s just that some are better are locating it than others.
Roefs stats are far better than Alphonse Areola’s in the Premier League
Per Fotmob, Roefs has the best save percentage of any goalkeeper in the Premier League this season. Alphonse Areola, the man who was parachuted in following Hermansen’s dismal start, comes in at ninth.
Only Crystal Palace’s Dean Henderson has a better ‘expected goals prevented’ tally. Roefs is on an impressive plus-four, compared to Areola’s minus-one.
Former Upton Park boss Alan Pardew questioned Areola’s ability to command his penalty area following a flap against Brighton and that contentious penalty against Nottingham Forest. It has been a theme of Sunderland’s games, meanwhile, that Roefs storms through a crowd of bodies and claims a high ball with consummate ease.
Sunderland have conceded only six set-piece goals this season. West Ham? Fifteen.
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Furthermore, while Areola has failed to save any of the five penalties he has faced in 2025/26, Roefs kept out three from three when Sunderland knocked Everton out of the FA Cup.
“When I analysed his profile, it was really clear that he was one of the best I’ve ever seen during this transfer window,” Le Bris told the Northern Echo late last year.
“He is really balanced and it is not easy to find a goalkeeper with such good qualities in different areas.”
Regis Le Bris tells West Ham what they are missing
While West Ham spent £18 million on a goalkeeper with glaring weaknesses in his game – particularly his command of set-piece situations – Sunderland signed one of the most complete young shot-stoppers in Europe for 50 per cent less.
“For us, shot-stopping was important. For a keeper, that is non-negotiable. [Roefs] is quick, very mobile when he manages crosses and he is really well connected with his backline,” Le Bris added of a man who is surely a shoo-in for the Premier League Team of the Season award at this stage.
“And he is good with his feet.
“That is part of our identity. We are not scared by young players. We are ready to support them, give them opportunities and, at the minute, we are happy.”
Sunderland will be happier still if Roefs picks up an eighth clean sheet of a fabulous season at the London Stadium this weekend.
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