Jakub Stolarczyk decision at heart of Leicester City's potential summer transfer overhaul
Jakub Stolarczyk is building confidence and easing Leicester City fears ahead of a potential overhaul of the goalkeeping department this summer.
Stolarczyk produced his best Premier League display so far to help City end their dismal run of results and earn a victory that lifted them out of the bottom three. It wasn’t just City fans that recognised the quality of his performance, with Alan Shearer including the Pole in the official Premier League team of the week.
While Mads Hermansen is due to return from injury soon, this period with Stolarczyk is important for both the club and the player. It allows him to prove his Premier League credentials and for the club to assess his short-term and long-term potential as a top-flight goalkeeper.
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“It gives me a lot of confidence,” Stolarczyk told the club, reflecting on the win over Tottenham. “I’m there to help the team and my team-mates. I’m glad I could help us out.
“The most important thing was getting the three points over the line. We stuck together through a tough period in the second half and we showed we can defend together.
“That’s what dreams are made of, being in the Premier League team of the week. It’s a good feeling and gives you confidence as well.”
While Stolarczyk is one of four first-team goalkeepers currently registered at the club, he may be the only one left come the start of the new season. Both Danny Ward and Daniel Iversen are out of contract in the summer, and Hermansen is expected to fetch interest.
The numbers behind the Dane’s season show why he is so highly-rated. Based on the shots on target he’s faced, Hermansen has conceded six fewer goals than the average keeper would be expected to. That’s the best in the Premier League this season, with Bournemouth’s Kepa Arrizabalaga, on loan from Chelsea, in second, having let in three fewer goals than would be expected.
Enzo Maresca is already well aware of Hermansen’s qualities and Chelsea were linked with interest last summer. They are expected to return again. While their current number one Robert Sanchez ranks in the middle of the pack for his save rate this season, he’s made the most errors leading to goals of any player in the division.
“For sure, he is completely aware that he has to do better,” Maresca said on Sanchez at the weekend. “He was completely aware after the (Man City) game. He knows perfectly. The good thing is that he is the first one to know that he has to do better.
“We trust Robert for sure but in the same moment, as I have said, the first one who is aware that he is making mistakes is Robert. We continue to trust Robert but we have one entire week, we see the reaction and we decide for the next games.”
If Hermansen is sold in the summer, City would then need to decide if Stolarczyk will step up to be their number one or will continue as their number two. It’s a decision that may be dependent on the division that City are in, while it would also have a significant impact on how much they spend on what looks like being an overhaul between the sticks.
