**West Ham signed Mohammed Kudus three years ago on this day.**
The Ghanaian played 80 games for the Irons between 2023 and 2025, scoring 19 goals. Last year, he made a controversial £55 million move to Spurs, crowning himself this generation’s Jermaine Defoe for West Ham fans.
On the same day that we remember Kudus’ initial move to the Irons, reports suggest that James Ward-Prowse could be close to a move to his former side, Southampton. The Hammers’ No. 8 signed in the same window as Kudus, as did fellow current Hammers Edson Álvarez and Konstantinos Mavropanos.
The quartet were acquired by David Moyes and Tim Steidten following West Ham’s sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal for £105 million – with Kudus, Ward-Prowse and Álvarez coming in for fees in excess of £30 million.
That trio began their West Ham careers superbly and were prominent members of Moyes’ side during the 2023/24 season.
Ward-Prowse was a huge threat from corners, Álvarez was proving a pretty decent Rice replacement, and Kudus was scoring screamers for fun – including a breathtaking solo goal against Freiburg, one of the greatest the London Stadium has ever seen.
But after Moyes’ departure, things turned sour. Kudus threw his toys out of the pram, leaving last summer. Now, Ward-Prowse and Álvarez look set to leave as well, with their best days in Claret and Blue well behind them.
Ironically, it will likely be Mavropanos, the player who initially struggled, who will have the best legacy at West Ham. While the others were shining brightly, the Greek was labelled a liability. But things have turned around significantly for the defender in 2026.
Mavropanos was named the 2026 Hammer of the Year. Meanwhile, the reputation of the other three has only diminished. Admittedly, there are still some fans who haven’t taken to the former Arsenal defender.
Ultimately, that record-breaking Rice money will leave a very strange legacy at West Ham. It certainly provided some success in the short term, but I think many fans will look back on the move with mixed feelings.
Undoubtedly, the money West Ham received was significant, and it appeared as though the Irons had traded one world-class player for three very good players.
But now, Ward-Prowse looks set to be sold for under a million and Álvarez potentially for under ten. West Ham now find themselves in the Championship. Never in the club’s history has so much money aged so poorly.