I wasn’t too surprised to read about Arsenal’s interest in West Ham winger Mohammed Kudus yesterday.
The Hammers winger may currently be serving a three-game suspension, likely to be extended, but he remains a standout player. A recent falling-out with West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui seemed patched up with a brace of goals before his ban, yet Kudus was always destined to be a short-term presence in East London.
This much was clear from the Ghanaian’s decision to insert a recurring buyout clause in his contract. According to Claret & Hugh’s sources, this clause was the only way to convince Kudus to join the Irons, given his ambition.
At his best, Kudus is a world-class player and something of an unstoppable force, more than capable of competing at the highest level. He joined West Ham on the back of a successful Conference League season, eager to play in the Europa League.
However, this season hasn’t unfolded as anyone had hoped, and while the club can plead fans for patience with Julen Lopetegui’s tactics, the same patience can’t be expected from top-tier players.
The former Ajax man is Champions League quality and might tolerate playing out of position at a super club, but likely not for one struggling in the Premier League’s bottom half.
Kudus has an £85m release clause reactivating next summer, but an earlier exit might be on the cards. Arsenal’s rumoured interest at £90m hints at a possible bid sooner than expected. While he’s top quality, West Ham has a capable replacement in Jarrod Bowen, which could allow any transfer funds to be invested elsewhere.
