West Ham’s most sellable asset is still high on the wish list of three Premier League clubs. it seems only Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United all have the need and the wherewithal to take the Ghanaian at a figure close enough to the Hammers’ release clause to convince the cash-strapped West Ham board to recommend a sale.
At the moment, Newcastle United appear in the box seat: The frustration of missing out on Brian Mbuemo, Dean Huijsen and Liam Delap is likely driving on Eddie Howe to spend some of PIF’s cash on improving his side. Chelsea’s reported interest in Kudus must be, no doubt, worrying Howe who will not want another target to slip through Newcastle’s fingers.
The stories linking the Hammers to Chelsea’s superfluous goal keeper Djorde Petrovic will make Howe more nervous than a deal maybe done between the London clubs and Newcastle will be the losers- again.
Most Read on West Ham News
As reported yesterday in nytimes.com: “Newcastle are prioritising the recruitment of [amongst others] a forward who can play on the right’ which will appeal to Kudus who has long been lamenting playing out of his favoured position at West Ham thanks to being behind Jarrod Bowen in the pecking order. Lifting the lid on internal discussions, the report suggests:
“Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga, 23, and 25-year-old Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth are also admired, with both out-and-out wingers, while West Ham United attacking midfielder Mohammed Kudus, 24, has featured during internal discussions.”
Potter and Sullivan will be desperate for Howe’s Newcastle to come down in favour of Kudus: There is a whole summer transfer buying spree in place and the funds need to come from somewhere.