Chelsea Football Club is reportedly in negotiations with West Ham United to sign the dazzling forward, Mohammed Kudus. The Blues are looking to outbid their London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, who have also shown keen interest in the Ghanaian international.
Kudus began his Premier League journey with West Ham United after they paid Ajax £38 million for his services back in August 2023. Prior to this move, he had scored an impressive 27 goals in 87 appearances while playing for the Dutch side.
The versatile forward has since managed to score 19 goals and provide 13 assists over a span of 80 games for West Ham. Despite facing criticism at times during last season, Kudus remains a highly-rated Premier League midfielder expected to shine at Europe's highest level if he reaches his full potential.
Bidding war begins
Tottenham Hotspur initiated the bidding war by offering £50 million for Kudus - an offer that was promptly rejected by West Ham. Undeterred, Spurs returned with an increased bid of £55 million.
However, it seems unlikely that this latest offer will be accepted either as West Ham is holding out for between £65-70 million before they consider parting ways with their star player. This price tag is deemed 'quite reasonable' given that Kudus has an £84m release clause embedded within his contract which runs until June 2028.
Chelsea's strategy
Chelsea reporter Simon Phillips revealed that Enzo Maresca’s side are ‘pushing’ hard to land Kudus before Spurs do. After having their initial bid of £50m turned down by West Ham, Chelsea are now considering including one of their players as part of the deal - a move designed to sweeten the pot for the Irons.
However, Chelsea will need to act swiftly as Spurs are reportedly 'advancing on the deal' and edging closer to meeting West Ham's demands. The report also mentions that Newcastle United and clubs in Saudi Arabia have expressed interest in the 24-year-old forward. Reports revealed on June 25 that Newcastle have identified Kudus as a backup target should they fail in their pursuit of Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga.
It seems clear that Mohammed Kudus is poised to make a significant move this transfer window. Whether he ends up at Chelsea or Tottenham remains to be seen, but one thing is certain - his future looks bright.
