The January transfer window is famous for its late drama and unexpected twists, but few could have predicted the “ridiculous” negotiation currently taking place between two of London’s fiercest rivals.
Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United are reportedly in deep discussions over a goalkeeper swap deal that has left fans and pundits scratching their heads. The proposed move involves Mads Hermansen heading to North London while Antonin Kinsky makes the journey across the city to East London.
While swap deals are rare in the modern game, and even rarer between bitter rivals, the specific needs of managers Thomas Frank and Nuno Espirito Santo seem to be driving this unusual transaction.
At the center of this story is Mads Hermansen, a player who arrived at West Ham with high expectations and a £20 million price tag after Leicester City’s relegation. However, his time in the capital has been anything but smooth.
After a series of shaky performances early in the season that exposed vulnerabilities in the Hammers’ backline, he was eventually dropped. Nuno Espirito Santo has since favored the experienced Alphonse Areola, leaving Hermansen as an expensive and frustrated backup.
Despite his struggles this term, Tottenham manager Thomas Frank is said to be a long-term admirer of the Danish keeper. Frank reportedly believes that Hermansen’s technical profile fits his tactical vision, offering a more ball-playing alternative to compete with the current number one, Guglielmo Vicario.
On the other side of the capital, Tottenham’s Antonin Kinsky finds himself in a similar predicament. The 22-year-old was signed a year ago during an injury crisis involving Vicario. While he was brought in to provide immediate cover, his performances have been a mixed bag.
In his limited Premier League outings, he managed only a single clean sheet across six games. Even during Tottenham’s successful run to the Europa League title, Kinsky struggled to maintain a consistent shutout record. Despite these concerns, Nuno Espirito Santo is reportedly keen on the Czech youngster.
The connection seems to stem from Kinsky’s time at Slavia Prague, where he played alongside current West Ham talent El Hadji Malick Diouf. Nuno believes a change of scenery and a fresh tactical approach could unlock the potential that originally brought Kinsky to the Premier League.
| Player Comparison | Mads Hermansen | Antonin Kinsky |
| Age | 25 | 22 |
| Transfer Value | ~£20 million | ~£12 million |
| Current Role | West Ham Backup | Tottenham Backup |
| Key Suitor | Thomas Frank | Nuno Espirito Santo |
| Clean Sheets (25/26) | 2 | 1 |
The report, which originated from the reliable “ExWHUEmployee,” suggests that this would be a loan swap lasting until the end of the current season. While the insider admitted the deal sounded “quite ridiculous” at first glance, the mutual interest from both managers has given the talks significant momentum.
For West Ham, offloading Hermansen’s wages and bringing in a hungry, younger keeper might provide the spark needed to stabilize a defense that has leaked goals all year. For Tottenham, adding a keeper like Hermansen provides Thomas Frank with a Danish compatriot he trusts to push Vicario for a starting spot during the final stretch of the season.
However, the skepticism from both fanbases is palpable. West Ham supporters are rightly questioning whether Kinsky a player who struggled behind a much more stable Tottenham defense can really offer the protection needed to keep the Hammers out of a relegation scrap.
Meanwhile, Spurs fans are wondering why the club is pursuing a keeper who lost his place at a struggling club, especially when the team has shown such strong European form under Frank.
Ultimately, this deal represents a calculated gamble for both clubs. In a window where cash is tight due to strict financial regulations, a loan swap allows both sides to address perceived weaknesses without a massive capital outlay.
If Hermansen can rediscover the form that made him a standout at Leicester, he could be an “exceptional” asset for Frank. Similarly, if Kinsky thrives under Nuno’s more defensive setup, he might finally live up to his early-career hype.
As the deadline approaches, the “London Swap” is proof that in the world of football transfers, there is no such thing as a deal too strange to happen.
