What Kudus Must Do to Secure a Transfer Away from West Ham

When Mohammed Kudus joined West Ham on August 27th, 2023, the footballing world had limited knowledge of the right winger who had spent his previous season in the Eredivisie with Ajax.

His second campaign in the Dutch league was impressive, with 11 goals and three assists, a stark contrast to his first season (2021/22), in which he only registered one goal and one assist across 16 appearances.

At that time, the Hammers’ technical director, Tim Steidten, evidently recognised Kudus’ potential, believing he would enhance the squad alongside new recruit Edson Alvarez, thus facilitating his move to the London Stadium.

Kudus made a notable impact almost immediately with his excellent ball control and physical prowess, finishing the 2023/24 season with a commendable tally of eight goals and six assists in what is known to be a highly competitive Premier League.

Kudus Faces Challenges

However, in the past year, Kudus’ form has dipped significantly. He netted just five goals and provided three assists over 32 matches, logging 2,601 minutes—the most he’s played in a single season.

Once famed for bursting through defences and netting exceptional goals, Kudus now appears weighed down by pressure in the 2024/25 season.

His performances have been so disappointing in certain matches that West Ham is contemplating selling him, although their valuation of £85 million seems rather inflated.

While his passing accuracy has consistently remained above 84.5% during his time in East London, even improving in the last year, this highlights his strong connection with teammates.

Moreover, he’s reclaimed possession remarkably on 376 occasions across his seasons at the London Stadium.

A tackle success rate of 60.5% in 24/25 exemplifies the more robust aspects of his game, which he seems to enjoy just as much as demonstrating his speed when the situation calls for it.

Shooting Precision Needs Focus

However, shooting remains an area where significant enhancements are necessary.

His shot accuracy of 47.8% last season is respectable but not exceptional; even more troubling is his abysmal shot conversion rate of merely 6.7%, which is far below the standard expected from a player of his calibre.

Whether this reflects a crisis of confidence—considering it is the worst statistic of his career—is uncertain, but it could be the vulnerability in this aspect that has led the Hammers’ management to ponder potential offers for a player who once seemed poised for greatness.

While he has yet to transition from hero to villain in the eyes of the London Stadium supporters, he has lost some of the adoration he once commanded during his debut season.

Moreover, funds from a potential sale could be invaluable for a West Ham side undergoing yet another period of change.

Chelsea Proposes Player Exchange

Recent reports indicate that Chelsea may have proposed a swap involving several of their players in exchange for Kudus; however, West Ham chairman David Sullivan was unlikely to accept offers for players such as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Robert Sanchez, Carney Chukwuemeka, Tosin Adarabioyo, or Trevoh Chalobah.

Excluding the latter, none have truly made an impact under Enzo Maresca, and even with Graham Potter’s familiarity with Chelsea’s squad, a trade involving these players doesn’t seem logical.

Currently, the Hammers appear content with their goalkeeping options. Dewsbury-Hall has barely featured for 18 months, and if Chukwuemeka and Adarabioyo are deemed surplus at Stamford Bridge, it’s questionable why Chelsea would think they could benefit West Ham.

Additionally, one must consider where Kudus would fit in at Chelsea, given their squad’s abundance of attacking midfielders.

Sancho Swap Not Viable

There was also speculation about a potential swap deal involving Jadon Sancho moving to West Ham; however, it seems the club’s hierarchy are not convinced of where Sancho would slot into Graham Potter’s system, which is likely to be why discussions stalled.

It is evident that for West Ham to get near their asking price, Kudus needs to refocus and display his abilities in the early part of the season, with an eye on being sold to the highest bidder come January—unless clubs are willing to make calculated risks in the second summer transfer window.

Having a discontented player in the squad serves no one well, particularly one who may cause disruption in the dressing room. It would be wiser to facilitate a move away as soon as possible, allowing him the chance to reset and start anew.

Despite this challenging phase, the Ghanaian is still young enough to carve out a significant career; however, his current statistics must improve, whether he remains at West Ham, moves to Chelsea, or finds himself elsewhere. He has reached a pivotal point in his career.