Newcastle United may consider targeting West Ham winger Mohammed Kudus, according to journalist Graeme Bailey.
Speaking to Geordie Boot Boys, Bailey said a move for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo has stalled due to his asking price, and while Chelsea’s Noni Madueke has been linked, he thinks a bid for Kudus is more likely:
“There are other options [to Mbeumo] out there, the likes of Noni Madueke at Chelsea. However, I personally do not think Madueke is an Eddie Howe player. The manager is going to have a lot more say in the transfers this summer, so we need to take that on board. Could Newcastle come into the Mohammed Kudus situation? Possibly.”
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“He would be a little bit cheaper than Mbeumo, but not massively. West Ham need to sell him to enable them to do other things. He will be going for less than his £85m release clause. He does not want to go to Saudi Arabia, so he will likely be moving within England.”
What is the situation with Mbeumo?
The Cameroon international has been a long-term target for the Magpies, who originally tried to sign him during the January transfer window. However, Brentford have always maintained that they want at least £60m for the forward.
Manchester United are said to be willing to match the valuation and reports have subsequently emerged that Mbeumo now favours a switch to Old Trafford.
How much would Newcastle have to pay for Kudus?
As Bailey points out, the West Ham star is unlikely to be that much cheaper than Mbeumo. The Irons are open to offloading the Ghanaian, but a fee upwards of £60m may still be needed.
Kudus caught the eye during his first season at the London Stadium, but he has struggled to replicate those performances over the last 12 months. His stats do not compare favourably with Mbeumo.
While the Brentford winger scored 20 Premier League goals, Kudus managed just 5.
Read more as Don Hutchinson backs Newcastle to sign the West Ham star