Mohammed Kudus is West Ham United’s number one prized asset, after his spectacular debut campaign in England.
So it was a huge relief when June turned into July and his £85 million release clause expired…until 2025 at least.
West Ham signed Mohammed Kudus from Ajax in the summer of 2023, in a deal believed to be worth around £38 million.
That fee currently looks like a massive bargain, and it could be argued that he’s worth three times that much now.
Arsenal have already been linked with a move to sign Kudus from the Hammers, whilst the same can be said for Manchester United (The Mirror) and Chelsea (Daily Mail).
It’s always problematic when huge clubs like those mentioned above throw their hat in the ring for a player from one of the ‘other 14’.
Will West Ham be able to resit if the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea come knocking for Kudus?
His superb form last season would have undoubtedly piqued the interest of the powers that be at the Emirates, Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge.
West Ham star Mohammed Kudus takes Premier League by storm
Kudus was a huge hit at the London Stadium, after he swapped the Eredivisie for the Premier League last year.
The Ghanaian bagged a hugely impressive 14 goals and six assists in 45 games in all competitions for West Ham.
The beauty of the 23-year-old is that he always puts in a real shift, regardless of what position he’s playing in.
He can play out wide on the left, on the right, in the number 10 position or even as an auxiliary centre-forward if need be.
The scary thing is that Kudus will only continue to get better and better, and with him in the side, anything is possible.
He proved his unbelievable quality with some stunning goals last season – most notably the ones away at Brentford and Manchester City, and the incredible solo strike against Freiburg at the London Stadium.
So will Kudus spend the next few years with West Ham, or could an exit be on the cards for him next year?
Mohammed Kudus on potential West Ham exit
The former Ajax man has absolutely everything needed to become a true star of the game.
He won’t be 24 until August, and has already proven that he has the physical capabilities needed to flourish in the Premier League.
Will Lopetegui and co be able to keep Kudus at the London Stadium for the long-term though?
The Hammers star has now opened up on his future, and whether or not he’ll be here to stay.
Kudus sat down for an exclusive, wide-ranging interview with The Athletic and opened up on all things West Ham.
When pushed on interest from some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs, the Ghanaian was philosophical in his response.
“When you perform at those kinds of levels in a league like this, it’s normal to have rumours and hear about other clubs (being interested),” Kudus said
“But right now my focus is getting prepared for the new season and then we’ll see how everything goes.”
“From Denmark (playing at Nordsjaelland, 2018-20), Holland (with Ajax, 2020-23) to England, I’m definitely a player that likes challenges.”
Then came some really ominous words from the 23-year-old…
“When I feel like I’m at a point where I’ve really killed it at a specific club and then there’s an opportunity, I would definitely challenge myself. I don’t want to get complacent and be used to the same thing over and over again. But that was my first season at West Ham, and I believe I can do even more than last season.”
That to me reads like Mohammed Kudus wants to challenge himself with a bigger club than West Ham after this upcoming season.
Unless of course the Hammers manage to make some real progress under Lopetegui this season, and maybe mount a challenge for the top four.
The onus will be very much on Lopetegui, Tim Steidten and the West Ham owners to match Kudus’s ambition.
One of the club’s main priorities should be to keep the Ghana international at the London Stadium over the next few years.
However, that might be easier said than done, especially after Kudus admitted that he will challenge himself at a different club, if the opportunity arises in the future.
At least we will get to enjoy him for one more season!
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