Ajax star wants Ten Hag reunion as Man Utd ‘make contact’ over £48m summer transfer

Will Ford
Man Utd target Kudus

Manchester United have reportedly made contact over a move for Ajax forward Mohammed Kudus in the summer, with the 22-year-old keen on a reunion with Erik ten Hag.

The Dutch boss was in charge of the Eredivisie side when they signed Kudus from Nordsjaelland in the summer of 2020 for around £8m and the Ghana international’s form this term has caught the eye of a number of top European clubs.

Kudus made just 12 league starts in two years under Ten Hag, but he’s thrived with more responsibility this season, scoring 16 goals in all competitions from 32 appearances.

And Football Insider claim United are among the clubs interested and have ‘made contact’ with Ajax star’s representatives to discuss a potential £48m transfer this summer.

Kudus – whose contract expires in the summer of 2025 – has reportedly ‘spoken to friends of his desire to play for Ten Hag again and is interested in a Premier League move’.

Reports last summer claimed he had agreed a deal to move to Everton, only for the deal to fall through at the last minute.

Kudus would be the third of Ten Hag’s former Ajax players to move to Old Trafford, after Antony and Lisandro were poached in the summer.

It was reported around then that Ten Hag had a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ in place with his former club that he won’t ‘gut’ their squad, but that doesn’t appear to be hampering interest in Kudus.

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Netherlands legend Marco van Basten belives United should have signed the Ghanaian when they moved for Antony.

“I find Mohammed Kudus a much better football player than Antony,” Van Basten said on Ziggo Sport.

“Antony has his skills, but he is confused with the things he is trying to do!

“Kudus has much better technique and he knows what he is doing. Antony may be faster, but Kudus is smarter and more technical. He is much more of a footballer, you can place him anywhere on the pitch, an all-rounder for the team.”

Van Basten added: “In fact, I like him much better than Antony. He’s more fun to watch play.”