Mohammed Kudus was on holiday in Ghana when he was informed about interest from a club he did not expect to be in the mix for his signature.
It was always Kudus’ intention to leave West Ham United in the summer transfer window. London rivals Chelsea were the front-runners and initially expressed interest in signing the 25-year-old winger in May. They planned to sign the Ghana international early in the window so he could join Enzo Maresca’s side ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup — a competition they would win — which started on June 15.
Personal terms were agreed, but there was a stumbling block. Chelsea offered West Ham £40million ($54.2m) plus midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the swap deal, but their offer was rejected. Both clubs failed to reach an agreement and Dewsbury-Hall was later sold to Everton for £30m in August.
Tottenham Hotspur also saw Kudus as a transfer target and the winger was surprised by their interest. The north Londoners first enquired about his availability in July and saw their opening bid of £50m rejected. West Ham’s hierarchy were initially reluctant to accept offers less than £60m, but Tottenham were the only club to make a formal offer for the Ghanaian.
Chelsea, however, had not lost hope of signing Kudus. They needed another attacker with winger Noni Madueke set to complete his £55m switch to Arsenal. Due to Chelsea’s interest, Tottenham wanted assurances from Kudus that he was keen to join because they feared Chelsea would attempt to hijack the deal.
Kudus gave Tottenham his word he would join and felt he would get more playing time there, as opposed to Chelsea. He completed his £55m switch and became the first player to move between West Ham and Tottenham since August 2011, when Scott Parker signed for Spurs following West Ham’s relegation from the Premier League.
Ahead of this weekend’s game, Kudus is likely to receive a hostile reception on his return to the London Stadium. It is a far cry from the days of the winger entertaining the crowd with his trademark celebration, being a fan favourite to the extent that Ian, a season-ticket holder in the Billy Bonds Stand, travelled more than 3,000 miles (5,000km) to Accra, the capital of Ghana, to watch Kudus play for the national team.
He had other standout moments, such as his solo goal against Freiburg and acrobatic strike against Manchester City, but these showboating skills will no longer be in a claret and blue jersey.
Kudus’ desire to join Thomas Frank’s side also stemmed from wanting to play in European competition. Tottenham, who finished 17th and below West Ham last season, will compete in the Champions League this season, having won the Europa League. Kudus also had interest from clubs in the Middle East, but wanted to remain in the Premier League.
Sources with knowledge of the deal say Chelsea did not show enough commitment to sign Kudus. He had no intention of waiting longer and appreciated Tottenham’s determination to sign him. It mirrors the summer of 2023 when the versatile forward had interest from the west Londoners, but they stalled on finalising a move.
During negotiations with West Ham, former technical director Tim Steidten convinced Kudus he would develop into a crucial player, which led to his £38m arrival from Ajax. Kudus signed a five-year deal, with the option of a further year.
He adapted seamlessly in the 2023-24 season, registering 17 goals and six assists across 45 appearances. Clubs enquired about his availability in the summer of 2024, but their advances were rejected. Kudus’ unhappiness at West Ham pre-dates this summer, having initially wanted to leave after his debut season. The stumbling block was West Ham wanting clubs to activate his £85m release clause, which many were reluctant to do.
At half-time at Brentford in September last year, Kudus and Lopetegui had a frank exchange of words. Members of West Ham’s hierarchy reached out to Kudus’ camp to reassure them that there were no issues between the player and the former head coach. But it made the attacker further disillusioned with life in east London.
Despite Kudus’ desire to leave, he did not want it to be an acrimonious departure. Those close to the player strongly deny suggestions that he submitted a transfer request or reported late for training before his departure. He reported for pre-season training at Rush Green as planned on July 7.
Kudus was utilised in multiple positions across West Ham’s front line, but his preferred position is on the right flank. It is where captain Jarrod Bowen is naturally suited, which limited Kudus’ ability to play there. His desire to leave also stemmed from an urge to play in his natural position. The winger has played in that role in Tottenham’s league games against Burnley, where he registered two assists, Manchester City and Bournemouth.
Kudus is not concerned about the volatile reception he could receive at the London Stadium. It is a ground that used to be his playground, where some would parade the Ghanaian flag in his direction and where he was serenaded by fans.
But given the level of disdain over his switch, that animosity is unlikely to subside any time soon.
(Top photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)