West Ham United manager Nuno Espirito Santo has never really bought into Pep Guardiola’s ball-playing ideals when it comes to his goalkeepers.
Former Wolves glovesman Rui Patricio was never much of a ‘ball-player’. The same can be said of Matz Sels, who finished joint-top of the Golden Glove rankings last season, at Nottingham Forest.
Across the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, Sels averaged the most long balls of any goalkeeper. His passes also travelled the furthest distance on average. Thus, highlighting Nuno Espirito Santo’s willingness to go against the grain, opting for a more direct approach to build-up play than most top-flight sides in this heavily Guardiola-influenced era.
Mads Hermansen was chosen by Graham Potter last summer, partly because of his perceived ball-playing talents. That Nuno continues to omit Hermansen in favour of Alphonse Areola – a more traditional, physical goalkeeper – suggests a continuation of the strategy which worked well for him at both Wolves and Forest.
But with West Ham United reportedly eyeing up a move for Lazio’s Christos Mandas, links with the Greece international bring up an interesting suggestion.
Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Ciancaphoto Studio/Getty Images
West Ham United-linked Christos Mandas was a Manchester City target last summer
Mandas confirmed he had received an offer from Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City before James Trafford made his £27 million return to the Etihad from Burnley.
Now, considering what a goalkeeper in a Guardiola team is usually expected to provide, does West Ham’s alleged interest suggest Nuno is to embrace a more modern approach between the sticks?
Well, perhaps not.
Man City would break from Guardiolan tradition when bringing Gianluigi Donnarumma to English football, after all. A magnificent shot-stopper, yes, but one hardly renowned for his passing range.
Donnarumma replacing Ederson. Maybe it is Guardiola who is changing, rather than Nuno Espirito Santo.
When reflecting on Man City’s approach, meanwhile, Mandas explained to Gianluca di Marzio that head coach Marco Baroni had instructed him to play longer, more direct passes at Lazio last season. It may be no coincidence that, since the possession-orientated Maurizio Sarri returned for a second spell at the Stadio Olimpico, Mandas has dropped to the bench.
“It’s always nice to receive such praise [from a club like Man City]. If the opportunity of a lifetime presents itself, it’s right to reflect,” the former OFI Crete keeper said in May.
“But I’m no longer at a small club. Even if a big club were to call, my first thought wouldn’t be to leave. I would evaluate everything carefully, knowing that I’m happy here, that there’s trust in me and a concrete project.”
Mandas has left the door open to a Premier League transfer
Six months on, a penny for Mandas’ thoughts now.
The ‘trust’ placed in him by Baroni does not appear to be shared by a 66-year-old Sarri.
Agent Diego Tavano plans to ‘discuss [Mandas] future’ with the Lazio management following his ousting by Ivan Provedel. And, according to Corriere dello Sport, Mandas is ready to consider a move away unless things change under Sarri.
Furthermore, La Lazio Siamo Noi add that a Biancocelesti side who spent last summer under a transfer embargo would be willing to cash in, in order to ease their financial concerns. Mandas’ price-tag has reportedly dropped to around £9 million. Far less than the fee Lazio were demanding when Manchester City came calling.
Which position do West Ham need to strengthen the most?
City are not the only English-based outfit to have expressed an interest in recent times. Wolverhampton Wanderers, Nuno’s old employers, made a move themselves in 2024.
With West Ham reportedly joining Bournemouth and Fiorentina in lodging enquiries, the comments Mandas made in June about a future in the Premier League surely won’t have gone unnoticed.
“Last year, Wolverhampton approached Lazio about me, but the club wouldn’t consider my departure,” Mandas told Il Messaggerro. “The Premier League interests me, but I won’t move just for the sake of it.”
Hammers News have been informed, by chief football correspondent Graeme Bailey, that West Ham are considering Mads Hermansen’s future already.
If Hermansen was made vulnerable by Graham Potter’s exit, plus that of his ex-Brondby coach Casper Ankergren, Mandas’ arrival would feel like another nail in the proverbial coffin.
