‘A matter of details’ – Chelsea defeated as West Ham near completion of stunning £37m signing
West Ham United are reportedly on the verge of signing Ajax star Mohammed Kudus, despite Chelsea being heavily linked with him this summer.
David Moyes has had the Ghana international on his radar for some time as he looks to bolster his attacking options before the transfer window closes.
Kudus enjoyed a fantastic 2022/23 season with Ajax, scoring 18 goals and making seven assists in 42 appearances across all competitions.
He is versatile, with the ability to play as an attacking midfielder or as a winger on either flank, so he could provide cover in multiple positions for West Ham this season.
Kudus has been linked with a move to the Premier League for a long time. Everton came close to signing him last summer, while Brighton agreed a fee with Ajax, but Kudus rejected a switch to the Seagulls.
As mentioned, Chelsea have also considered making a move for Kudus, but it now seems that West Ham are set to win the race for his signature.
That is according to reputed transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano. On Twitter, he wrote: “Mo Kudus and West Ham, almost there. Final documents being checked, matter of details… and then deal closed.”
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The update comes after Kudus netted a hat-trick against Ludogrets in the Europa League on Thursday. In his post match interview, he described West Ham as a ‘good club.’
He later added: “I think it was my final game here at Ajax. I don’t have control over anything but let’s see what happens.
“The talks are going on. We have to see if an agreement is reached in the next few days. Then we take it from there. That’s not my call or my job, I just do my thing on the pitch and my team takes care of the rest.”
Reports suggest that West Ham have submitted an official offer worth €41m plus €3m in add-ons (£35m + £2.56m) for Kudus, in a deal that would include a 10% sell-on clause.
It now seems that the Hammers proposal has been accepted by Ajax, so everything points towards the 23-year-old finalising his switch to the London stadium imminently.
Moyes will hope that Kudus can continue his excellent form in the Premier League, and help West Ham challenge for another European trophy this season.
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