West Ham United are interested in signing one of the hottest attacking properties around this summer.
But who is that player?
What’s the latest West Ham transfer news?
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Irons are set to ‘open initial talks’ to sign Mohammed Kudus, who has been described as the ‘priority target’ in case Lucas Paqueta joins Manchester City.
The Italian journalist revealed that ‘positive talks’ have already begun with Kudus, who is ‘open’ to the transfer. Nonetheless, the deal still remains very dependent on Paqueta’s situation.
It’s understood the Brazilian has reached an agreement with the reigning European Champions and wants the move. The opening £70m bid was rejected by the Hammers, but City will submit a new one.
On 5 August, Brighton settled on a fee with Ajax in the region of €40m (£34.5m) for the attacking midfielder, who was described as a ‘key target’ for Roberto De Zerbi.
However, it was revealed by The Guardian that a move to the south coast has collapsed due to personal terms, opening the door for West Ham, Arsenal, and Chelsea.
What does Mohammed Kudus offer?
The high level of Premier League interest in Kudus is indicative of the forward’s admirable and sought-after quality. Last season can be labelled as a ‘breakout’ for the Ghanaian, who emphatically hit new heights in his productivity.
In 42 appearances across all competitions, he recorded 25 goal involvements and also enjoyed an eye-catching World Cup, scoring twice and completing 71% of his dribbles.
During the international tournament, his former teammate Calvin Bassey described him as a “star boy” and his reputation has arguably skyrocketed thanks to his positional versatility – according to The Athletic, in 2,272 minutes of Eredivisie football since the start of the 2021/22 season, he has played 22% of the time as a striker, 40% as a right-winger, 9% as an attacking midfielder and 22% as a central midfielder.
To look adequately equipped and confident enough to appear in this vast array of positions, as well as to be trusted in this role is a testament to his intelligence and potential.
To possess a player of this versatility, output, and creativity mirrors the glorious days of the irrepressible Dimitri Payet, who was equally effective as either a left-winger or attacking midfielder.
Between 2015 and 2017, the mercurial Frenchman made 60 appearances in all competitions and registered 38 goal involvements. In 28 games on the left, he scored seven goals and created 13 assists, then from 27 matches in the centre, he netted seven times and crafted eight assists.
In Payet’s debut season in England, the joyous technician was named the Premier League Player of the Year at the 2016 London Football Awards, as well as the West Ham Player of the Year.
The playmaker’s majestic creativity prompted huge praise from Zinedine Zidane, who said at the time: “He is one of the most important and talented players, not just in the French side, but in Europe.
“From a coach’s perspective, he is everything you look for in an attacking midfield player. He can score goals, he can create goals, he has real quality from set pieces.”
The east London faithful are desperately yearning for a new talent to replicate Payet’s heroics, and Kudus is well-placed to do so.