Tottenham must make a decision soon as Mohammed Kudus’ release clause expires in five days.
It is widely reported that the release clause in Kudus’ contract with West Ham, set at £85million, is only valid for the first 10 days of July.
Tottenham are hoping to negotiate a much lower deal, but Daniel Levy’s frosty relationship with the Hammers is adding an extra layer of complications to Spurs’ advances.
With other clubs, including Chelsea, also considering the Ghanaian this summer, Levy may have to alter his approach to ensure the 24-year-old joins the Lilywhites.
Tottenham favourites to sign Kudus despite deal still being far off
Spurs have already missed out on various targets, and while Kudus was likely not Levy’s top priority, the Lilywhites are swiftly running out of options.
MORE SPURS STORIES
The revelation from David Ornstein via The Athletic on YouTube (5 July) that Tottenham are still far from signing Kudus will only add to the angst among supporters.
Ornstein stated, “I think Tottenham would carry appeal to someone like [Kudus], Champions League football and remaining in London, but there will be other options as well, and I don’t think this one is close to a conclusion as of yet.”
Despite this revelation, N17 remains Kudus’ most likely destination, as Ladbrokes have the playmaker at 8/11 to join Tottenham, although these odds are drifting, with Chelsea second favourites at 6/4.
Thomas Frank will be hopeful that the deal can pull through, as the former Ajax forward’s versatility would allow him to fit in multiple positions for the Dane, who often changes his team’s formations to suit the opposition.
Frank’s front line is still a mystery
One of the allures of Frank is that, for all of his success and longevity at Brentford, it’s challenging to associate him with a specific style of play.
This can be seen as a positive, as he is willing to adapt according to the variables, but it makes assessing how Tottenham will shape up quite challenging, especially up front.
From the way the 53-year-old spoke about Dominic Solanke and the relative lack of competition at centre-forward, it is expected that he will start.
However, it is unclear whether Frank will play two wide forwards, like Mathys Tel and Brennan Johnson, or whether he is looking to bring a player like Kudus to play off Solanke in a much more central position.
Tottenham’s pre-season tour will give the first indication of Frank’s vision and unveil some of the mysteries of how his front line will look, and it would not be a huge surprise to see one or two rogue inclusions.