Raking over the coals of the summer transfer window is inevitable during an international break where there is ample time to gaze back and digest who sold whom for what and why.
West Ham’s shaky window is an easy target and*givemesport.com* waste no time in sticking the boot in with their article today: ‘ West Ham’s transfer window rated-Two huge errors, Owners under pressure “
I wouldn’t be so sure about one of the so called ‘ huge errors’.
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Whilst the first mistake is already pretty clear – the ‘not signing a striker’ issue has already come back to haunt the board. However, claiming the sale of Mohammed Kudus to arch rivals Tottenham was the second ‘huge error’ might be wide of the mark.
There were no other suitors ready to fork out £55 million, as far as we know. Of course, the deal with the arch rival Daniel Levy was a bitter pill to swallow at the time but consider this: The purchase of Mateus Fernandes would not have been possible – along with Hermansen and Diouf – without the cash from the Ghanaian’s sale. If you had to choose Fernandes or the moody Kudus, especially after the Portuguese midfielder’s debut, who would you choose? Exactly.
Arguably, West Ham are better off without Kudus. He wanted to leave. He’d been agitating for an exit since his dressing room bust up with Lopetegui and Mohammed Kudus had showed all season he plays for Kudus first, team second.
Long standing critics in Ghana have been lamenting his playing style – back to the end of 2024 -“Throughout the 90 minutes, he held on to the ball far too long, slowing down the team’s attack on multiple occasions.” Quite. Of course there’ll be a honeymoon period at Tottenham. but I’ll wager before the year is out Kudus reverts to type.
The introduction of electric Crysencio Summerville against Nottingham Forest in Kudus’ old inside left (showing my age) position has already helped West Ham fans ‘move on’ from the self-styled ‘starboy.’
Summerville, within minutes of his introduction was immediately everything that Kudus in his second season was not. Fast running, direct and unstoppable. And a creator of goals. Not running up blind alleys.
Given that Kudus was going to leave anyway, the ‘assist machines’ of Diouf and Fernandes already, along with a fit again Summerville, look to be well on the way to helping Hammers fans forget Mohammed Kudus’ absence.
Just of course, providing the Ghanaian doesn’t decide to turn the old magic back on for 90 minutes on Saturday. My money’s on Summerville to deliver. Just make sure to double up on Kudus, please, Mr Potter.