Mohammed Kudus has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal next summer and West Ham have been here before.
When West Ham signed Mohammed Kudus from Ajax for a bargain £38.5m, they actually beat Arsenal, Brighton and Chelsea to his signature.
In terms of the Gunners, that was partly because they were using a massive chunk of their budget buying Declan Rice from the Hammers.
The way the 24-year-old played last season and started the current campaign for West Ham, few could have seen his current predicament coming.
West Ham’s most dangerous attacker looked to be at his unplayable best when the season started.
He has cut an increasingly frustrated figure at being played out of position on the left by Julen Lopetegui, though.
First Rice now Arsenal want Kudus from West Ham
Kudus is West Ham’s best player, just like Rice was before him.
And just like Rice, the Hammers’ star boy is being linked with a move to Arsenal.
But while that has been going on in the background of late, Kudus has been unravelling.
The Gunners are said to want to lure him to north London from the Hammers for big money next summer.
West Ham’s big problem is that David Sullivan is powerless to stop Kudus joining Arsenal.
Kudus finds himself in purgatory with club and country right now.
After a much publicised bust-up with Lopetegui, Kuidus then got a five-match ban for flooring three Spurs players in a 4-1 defeat.
He will serve the fourth of his five-game suspension when West Ham go to Newcastle on Monday night.
And the fifth and final match will be when Arsenal come to the London Stadium next weekend.
Kudus summoned to high-level meeting ahead of Arsenal
Last month, after his bust-up with Lopetegui, Kudus was pictured at the Emirates watching Arsenal.
That obviously sparked rumours there is substance to the speculation about a deal next summer.
Now Kudus has been summoned to a high-level meeting ahead of Arsenal but it’s done West Ham a favour.
Kudus’ brilliant debut season with West Ham saw him score 14 goals and lay on six assists.
It was interrupted by Ghana’s horrendous group stage exit at the African Nations, though.
Former West Ham player Chris Hughton lost his job as a result.
Ghana have won just one game all year long.
They have now failed to qualify for the next AFCON and fans are in uproar.
As captain and their star player, Kudus has been feeling the weight of responsibility.
He’s not been handling it particularly well, with Kudus admitting to the FA that he was stressed by his Ghana troubles when the appeal against his ban extension was heard.
Ghana fans have even suggested Kudus is cursed since he was handed the number 10 shirt and captain’s armband.
The West Ham star missed a last gasp penalty as Ghana lost 2-1 to Niger this week.
Disgruntled fans celebrated the miss as things turned increasingly toxic in the Black Stars camp.
Extraordinary footage emerged since showing Kudus and his teammates get an embarrassing dressing down from the head of the Ghanaian Football Association.
Kudus speculation bound to ramp up ahead of Arsenal
Now in a bizarre move, Kudus has been called to a summit meeting – labelled a ‘retreat’ – by Ghana’s FA on November 28.
It’s not clear how long the retreat is expected to last.
But the country’s football association has summoned current players, ex stars, the media, government officials and all manner of people to the meeting to get to the bottom of the issues holding the Black Stars back.
In a lengthy official statement and apology, the details of the retreat were announced.
“Given the passion and concern shown by members and stakeholders of Ghana Football as well as the general public, the GFA shall hold a Ghana Football Retreat to which members and all stakeholders shall be invited,” it reads.
“Members and stakeholders such as SWAG and the Media, National Sports Authority, PFAG, former captains and players, coaches, supporters, Football enthusiasts, Sports-related professionals (Medics, Economists, Marketers etc), and Opinion leaders (including traditional rulers) will be invited to the Retreat.
“The Ministries of Sports, Finance and Education, and key Authorities such as Ghana Revenue Authority and Ghana Tourism Authority will be represented.
“The meeting shall be held on the 28th of November, 2024, at the Ghanaman Soccer Center of Excellence, with the primary purpose of soliciting views and perspectives from stakeholders of Ghana Football. The output from this Retreat shall be used to develop a roadmap for enhancing the performance of the Black Stars and our other national teams.
“We appreciate the support and patience of the Ghanaian people and look forward to making amends in the future.”
Awkward ‘retreat’ ultimatum has done West Ham a favour
This may have actually done West Ham a big favour.
Kudus is suspended for Arsenal anyway. But the speculation about him potentially joining Mikel Arteta’s side will undoubtedly ramp up between now and then.
It would become an unwelcome distraction and only give Arsenal fans something else to goad the home crowd about.
Kudus will have to attend the retreat given he has been captain and is their leading star.
He may make it back in time for Arsenal.
But perhaps West Ham should encourage him to come back on December 1st ready to face Leicester 48 hours later.
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