West Ham believe Chelsea will make a formal offer for Mohammed Kudus which is higher than Tottenham’s opening bid, according to The Guardian reporter Jacob Steinberg.
Spurs have offered £50m but that proposal was almost immediately knocked back by the Hammers, and Steinberg says there is an expectation that the Blues will trump that number:
“West Ham turned down a £50m proposal for Kudus from Spurs earlier this week but have not received any new offers since then. As reported earlier they are expecting a bigger bid from Chelsea.”
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While Tottenham are said to have made the most progress in talks with the player, Chelsea could enter the race at any time.
Madueke’s future could have a bearing on which team Kudus joins
Chelsea are not expected to make a move for the West Ham forward unless someone leaves Stamford Bridge first. The Ghanaian would likely be a replacement for Noni Madueke, who is attracting interest from Arsenal.
The Gunners have reportedly agreed personal terms with the 23-year-old but they have yet to table a formal offer for the player (at the time of writing).
It is believed that Madueke’s asking price is between £45m and £50m so, if the Blues do end up selling the winger, they may then ramp up their efforts to sign Kudus.
For their part, West Ham would like to see more than one club bid for the forward. They don’t expect any team to match Kudus’s £85m release clause, but they are hoping to get at least £65m.
It’s unlikely that Kudus’s future will be resolved soon, especially if Chelsea’s approach hinges on Madueke, but it is an ever-evolving situation.
In other news, Blues head coach Enzo Maresca has made a frank admission after being asked whether his club will sign a West Ham player