West Ham United could sell Mohammed Kudus this summer and are already making strides in the hunt for his replacement.
West Ham and Mohammed Kudus could go their seperate ways
The Hammers expect plenty of movement in both directions over the next few months and could be set to part ways with one of their best players if reports are to be believed.
Recently, Chelsea have made contact over a potential move for Kudus, and he is also said to be on the radar of Premier League rivals Manchester United and Newcastle United.
Intriguingly, the Ghana international has a release clause of £85 million that is open to top-flight clubs in England across the first ten days of July. However, it remains to be seen whether a saga involving the former Ajax man will develop at the London Stadium.
In the case of Newcastle, former scout Mick Brown believes they would try and land Kudus at a fee below his exit clause due to the premium involved in a prospective transfer.
“At £85million or whatever his release clause is, there’s no way Newcastle would do that deal. They’ll consider it if they can cut down that price tag, but they’re not sure about him. They’ve got other targets as well, so I think they’re more likely to go for them before Kudus.”
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The Hammers are now in a straight shoot-out with a rival Premier League club for the signature of a goal-scoring midfielder.
If Kudus were to depart, the Hammers would need to act decisively on the market to secure an appropriate replacement, and they could well now be closing in on a smart acquisition if that turn of events were to occur.
West Ham ‘well positioned’ to sign Nicolas Gonzalez
According to journalist Sebastien Vidal, West Ham are ‘well positioned’ to sign Juventus winger Nicolas Gonzalez and the Argentina international is likely to be on the move for £22 million this summer.
Seen as an ideal replacement for Kudus, the 23-year-old registered five goals and four assists in 36 appearances across all competitions last season. While he was not part of his country’s World Cup winning squad he is highly decorated at international level, winning two Copa Americas.
Capable of playing on either flank, as an attacking midfielder or through the middle, he is a versatile presence that could help to allieviate the burden on the likes of Jarrod Bowen when it comes to chance creation.
Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether Kudus will need to leave first in order for a move to go through or if the finance would be available already in terms of being able to meet both his transfer fee and wages.
Either way, West Ham appear to be stepping up their hunt for attacking reinforcements and there will be plenty of excitement in East London if this one materialises.
