Journalist reveals what West Ham plan to do with Ajax ace Mohammed Kudus
West Ham are signing Mohammed Kudus from Ajax with the intention of playing him as a centre-forward, according to Graeme Bailey.
The Irons are in negotiations with Ajax over a fee for Kudus, with the two clubs currently some way apart in terms of valuation [Jacob Steinberg].
There remains optimism that West Ham can strike a deal, however, and 90min reporter Bailey has outlined where David Moyes plans to field the Ghana international.
Bailey posted on his personal Twitter account on Saturday [19 August]: “Told that West Ham are signing Mohammed Kudus with the idea of playing him as a centre forward.”
Void to be filled
Kudus’ versatility is one of the main reasons West Ham are so eager to bring him to the London Stadium.
As European football expert Andy Brassell told Sky Sports Transfer Centre on Thursday [17 August, 20:56], Kudus “can play in a number of attacking positions, either out wide or cutting in”.
Moyes is currently lacking an out-and-out centre-forward, though, and it appears Kudus may get the nod in that position should the Irons get a deal over the line.
Kudus scored 11 goals in the Eredivisie last season and had a conversion rate of 20 per cent [Squawka].
That may not seem like a huge figure on the face of it, but it was higher than that of Jarrod Bowen (14.29 per cent) – a wide player by trade who was often used as the focal point for United last term – and Gianluca Scamacca (13.65 per cent).
Scamacca has since been sold to Atalanta after failing to impress in his only season in East London, leaving a void to be filled through the middle.
Kudus’ strengths may possibly lie elsewhere, but he could prove to be a good stop-gap for West Ham in that position for the time being.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers have reportedly missed out on signing another of their targets.