West Ham’s Persistent Pursuit of Kudus: The Transfer Saga Continues
The Hunt for Kudus
In their quest to amplify the prowess of David Moyes’ attacking front, West Ham United are facing an uphill battle in their attempts to secure Ajax’s star forward, Mohammed Kudus. The echoes from the streets of Amsterdam have spoken – not once, but twice – as Ajax shunned the Hammers’ advances.
“A deal was pursued for a number of weeks,” reported by 90MIN, even leading to West Ham’s technical director, Tim Steidten, making a personal trip to the Dutch capital to steer the negotiations.
Ajax’s Firm Stance
An initial outlay of €40m (£34m) was swiftly dismissed by the Dutch titans over the weekend, signaling their desires for more financially appealing, performance-based add-ons. Yet, with West Ham’s second bid also falling short of Ajax’s expectations, the murmurs suggest a figure in the ballpark of €50m (£42.5m) might be the magic number to close the deal.
Brighton’s Foiled Attempt and the Premier League Race
Interestingly, Brighton & Hove Albion once found themselves in West Ham’s shoes, having an offer green-lighted by Ajax. Yet, despite the prospect of Europa League football matching West Ham’s, they failed to settle personal terms.
Eyes from Old Trafford to Stamford Bridge have tracked Kudus’ meteoric rise. Notably, Erik ten Hag of Manchester United once shared the dugout with Kudus at Ajax, sparking rumours of a reunion.
As it stands, the waters remain murky regarding any agreement on personal terms between the Hammers and Kudus. Thus, the clock ticks, and the door remains ajar for rival suitors before the transfer curtain falls on September 1.
West Ham’s War Chest and Recent Additions
After parting ways with Declan Rice in a staggering £105m deal with Arsenal, the Hammers have not shied away from flexing their financial muscle. The likes of Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse have already graced the London Stadium turf. The latter stole the headlines in the recent 3-1 triumph over Chelsea, playing the orchestrator with two sublime assists.
Adding further depth, the ink has dried on a contract for centre-back Konstantinos Mavropanos. Secured from VfB Stuttgart, the deal could see figures soaring to £21.5m, contingent on add-on clauses being realised.
