With Leicester City’s Mads Hermansen and Southampton’s Aaron Ramsdale on the radar, West Ham United are clearly taking a special interest in goalkeepers with a proven track record in Premier League football.
Yes, Southampton’s miserable campaign consigned a former Bournemouth and Sheffield United stopper to a third relegation out of England’s top flight. The so-called ‘Ramsdale curse’ understandably has some West Ham fans concerned that they will be the latest to swig from a poison chalice.
Especially as the threat of demotion looms over a Hammers side whose squad going into next season could conceivably be a lot weaker than it was at the beginning of the summer window.
Ramsdale would still be an upgrade on Alphonse Areola, though. It is only two years since he was included in the PFA Team of the Year while the number one at Arsenal, after all.
As for the other recently-relegated glovesman with admirers at the London Stadium, Mads Hermansen aced his West Ham audition with a superb display as Julen Lopetegui’s team somehow contrived to lose 3-1 at Leicester City despite mustering over 30 shots on goal.
In theory, bringing in a goalkeeper from abroad – one completely unproven amongst the physicality of English football – would represent a far greater risk than putting their faith in the trice-relegated Ramsdale or the young-but-talented Hermansen.
But while there may be reservations over Noah Atubolu’s ability to make the transition from the Bundesliga to the Premier League, there can be absolutely no concerns over the West Ham United target’s shot-stopping talents.
Noah Atubolu shows why West Ham United like him as Germany hammer France
Last season, as Freiburg secured Europa League qualification, Noah Atubolu became the first in the club’s Bundesliga history to go over 600 minutes without conceding a goal. The 23-year-old’s reputation as something of a ‘penalty killer’, meanwhile, is firmly well-deserved.
Atubolu has faced seven spot-kicks in the Bundesliga and saved four of them. Even Florian Wirtz – Liverpool’s new £116 million record signing – could not find a way past West Ham’s left-field goalkeeping target from 12 yards.
Ahead of Germany’s Under-21 European Championship semi-final clash with France on Wednesday night meanwhile, much of the pre-match talk focused on Atubolu breaking Manuel Neuer’s caps record at youth level.
Ninety minutes later, Antonio di Salvo’s side hammering Les Bleus 3-0 to set up a final meeting with old rivals England, outside observers could have been forgiven for wondering if Germany have just found Neuer’s long-term successor.
Atubolu certainly saved what he himself describes as his ‘best Under-21 game’ for the right moment. Mentioned alongside West Ham by Fabrizio Romano and The Athletic, two of the most reliable sources around, the highlight of his seven saves during that semi-final was undoubtedly the one which denied Thierno Barry during the second half.
Atubolu stuns fans as Germany set up Euro U21 final with England
Having already kept the West Ham-linked Villarreal striker off the scoresheet at point-blank range, Atubolu denied him again as he sprang to his right to claw a powerful header off the goalline.
His reactions were so sharp, and Barry’s effort so close, that a VAR delay was required to prove that the ball definitely hadn’t crossed the line.
“Atubolu would be such a coup,” one eagled-eyed West Ham supporter wrote on X in response to the Black Country-born keeper’s semi-final heroics.
“Noah Atubolu is such a great keeper hope we see him in the Premier League soon,” agrees a more neutral observer.
“Noah Atubolu has impressed me every time I’ve watched him at the U21 Euros,” another fan adds, Atubolu helping secure a 3-0 scoreline which does not accurately reflect the sheer number of chances France created on the night.
“A young goalkeeper with top fundamentals. Also just has that knack of keeping the ball out the net. This will be Germany’s starting GK in the future.
“People really tried to write off Noah Atubolu not too long ago, just because he made a couple of errors as a then-21-year-old goalkeeper in his first Bundesliga season. It’s great that Freiburg remained calm and continued to trust him. Now, they’re reaping the rewards. A lesson for many other clubs.”
“Acting like prime Buffon today.”
“Atubolu is world class.”
“Although he hasn’t been tested by difficult shots in the corner, I’ve liked what I’ve seen in the German keeper Atubolu. Assured, quick to react, always looking to pass out.
“Atubolu is an exceptional keeper.”
In comments which will not go unnoticed at the London Stadium, Noah Atubolu expressed his admiration for Premier League football not so long ago.
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