While Declan Rice left West Ham United as an established, proven, elite-level performer, the same could not really be said about Mohammed Kudus when he completed his controversial switch to Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Declan Rice captained the Hammers to Europa Conference League glory back in 2023. His first and so-far only trophy in the professional game.
And while those barnstorming displays on the Champions League stage have introduced his talents to a far wider audience, West Ham United supporters will tell you that the £105 million man had been performing at a world-class level long before he became Arsenal’s record signing.
Rice has been ‘one of the best in the world’ for quite a while now, to quote former Hammers youngster Luizao.
Mohammed Kudus, though, joined Thomas Frank’s Tottenham Hotspur having flattered to deceive more often than not in his second and final season at the London Stadium.
Now, it may be a stretch to suggest that Daniel Levy splashed out £54.5 million on nothing more than raw potential. Kudus had his fair share of standout moments in a claret and blue jersey, though they became increasingly few and far between as time went on.
And, speaking ahead of Spurs’ trip to West Ham on Saturday evening, Frank admits that Kudus needs to improve his end product if he is to justify that price-tag.
Thomas Frank on where Mohammed Kudus must improve after leaving West Ham United for Tottenham
Kudus scored only five goals in 35 matches during the 2024/25 campaign.
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The Ghana international is also yet to open his account in a Tottenham shirt, although he did provide two assists during the 3-0 victory over Burnley on the Premier League’s opening weekend.
And Frank knows that, if Spurs are to fight towards the top end of the division once again, he will need a lot more productivity from a frontline which once boasted Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane in their pomp.
“Of course, I followed him from a distance. [Kudus] impressed me the first season at West Ham and a little less last season,” the former Brentford boss admits.
“Looking from distance, they maybe didn’t have their best season for various reasons. I don’t want to go into detail, it’s very difficult to judge from the outside, [but] that maybe doesn’t help. From a player perspective, I can only really speak about the players I am coaching right now.
“I think he’s been quite consistent, so hopefully he can keep that going forward. That is definitely [our aim].
“Definitely, all the front three or four players need to provide goals and score goals. Wingers and strikers need to have quite a significant number of goals, or as many as possible. So of course that is a target for Mo as well.
“I know he’s very eager to get better numbers on the board.”
Max Kilman thinks West Ham can keep Kudus quiet on London Stadium return
While West Ham defender Max Kilman is backing Malick Diouf and Kyle Walker-Peters to keep Kudus and co quiet, Frank accepts that Kudus may face a ‘hostile’ reception after walking down a path that had been untouched since Scott Parker left Upton Park for White Hart Lane in 2011.
You know it’s been a while when both clubs have changed stadium since the last time a player swapped West Ham for Spurs.
“On his day, [Kudus] is a brilliant player,” Kilman tells the official West Ham website. “So we know it’s going to be a tough, tough challenge, but we have to be ready. He’s a rival now, and he’s an opponent, and we want to stop him.
“We’ve got some new full-backs as well who are obviously going to be up against him in Malick and Kyle, and we will make sure to tell them a few little tips about his strengths.
“We’ve had a few new boys come into a new league for the first time, and I think he and the others have adjusted pretty well.
“They deserve credit as well, because coming into a new league is not easy, but they’ve managed themselves really well, and they’re really helping us a lot.”