The news this afternoon that Tottenham are about to sign Jacob Ramsay is a blow to West Ham on two levels: Firstly the loss of a highly rated player for West Ham’s squad, who could have replaced Mohammed Kudus: Secondly the high probability that it takes Tottenham out of the equation as far as any possibility of them being interested in a Mohammed Kudus’ purchase.
With Newcastle also dropping out it seems there are but two possible suitors for the Ghanaian now in Arsenal and Chelsea, as Claret and Hugh’s earlier article.
However- when viewed in context of a new report out today from tuttomercato.web, the lack of Premier League and European clubs with even £60 million to spend means the Hammers may yet have to reconsider a sale into the Saudi Pro leagues. The report suggests that Pro-League newcomers NEOM are interested in Kudus:
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Kudus still had “a decent year that earned him the interest of Neom, a newly promoted club in the top Saudi division, ready to spend a lot during this summer….for Neom it is not a question of money, but only of possible preference of the footballer.”
And depending on the maths and currencies, the salary they propose offering Kudus “between €15 and €20 million a year” – easily more than double his salary at West Ham.
Whilst Kudus has stated that he doesn’t want to head to Saudi, such eye watering sums may well turn his head- his international career would never be threatened by leaving the European TV arena as he’s Ghana’s pin-up boy wherever he plays.
Quite how West Ham and the player will react if no offers come from Europe – but £80 million comes from Saudi- will be an ‘interesting’ dynamic to play out.
With Lucas Paquetá’s involvement also in a possible move to Saudi – more later – it is a fast changing, fluid and financially volatile situation at West Ham’s HQ this summer.