Yesterdays articles all over the internet illustrated the grim reality faced by Jhon Duran following his move to the Saudi Pro-League in the winter. West Ham’s failed pursuit of Duran ranks as one of the sagas of recent windows and means that Hammers fans have something of a nervous tic every time his name appears in print.
I cannot help but notice every move of his career following West Hams’ own ham-fisted amateurish attempts to bring one of the hottest properties in world football to London Stadium.
There’s no schadenfreude in reading of Duran’s predicament: Apparently he’s struggled to settle in the foreign culture and has to live in another country with his girlfriend and commute 600 miles by air every day to work. For £320,000 a week, you understand.
It may come as no surprise and there’ll be little sympathy for the Colombian but surely this latest high profile failure to adapt to what is for most footballers a hugely challenging culture and environment, is something of a watershed moment.
Players like Mohammed Kudus – who anecdotally has a £120 million break-clause in his contract for Saudi Pro-League sides – will surely now dismiss forever the possibility of moving to the Pro-League. However much their club may push them.
West Ham may be forced into a rethink, as acceptable offers from the Premier League have not been forthcoming. A sale to the Saudi pro League would have 100% suited the Hammers but now as another high profile ‘failure’ seeks to escape the Middle East, the chances of Kudus ever following – however much on offer- must have dropped to absolute zero. A case of all that glitters most certainly not being gold.
I wish Sullivan and Brady would disappear to Saudi…
GOOD. he’s an unbelievable talent. Keep him at West ham at ALL COSTS
Kudus can and wants to succeed in the Premier League as well as the Champion League . He’s not particularly money motivated and so going to a dead end league of has beens and mainly inferior players doesn’t appeal to him even with the prospect of making 15 million a year instead of 10 million a year .
Well I for one am hoping that Kudus isn’t sold. Would be a great mistake for our club to sell him, as he is a very special player ⚒️🇬🇭❤️
I agree with you Linda 🇺🇸🇬🇭
I whole support your opinion on this kudos matter,I know we need money to be able to buy more players but if we can keep kudos it will be fantastic for our club 👏 thanks ✅️
Kudus is a Muslim , he’ll have no problem settling in Saudi.
Wasn’t the final nail struck weeks ago when he turned down a move to Saudi? It must be so boring closed season in Hugh towers to keep rehashing the same boring old nonsense.
The grass is not always greener on the other side.
Can understand older players looking for last big payout but not generally younger players.
Saudi’s are not doing premier league any favours with these huge offers.
Just jumping transfer fees to out landish heights.
Where’s the money coming from to suggest Duran on loan?
Struggling to make offers on players at £17.5m!!!
I read a while back that Kudus ruled out a move to Saudi as he wanted to remain in the more competitive Premiership. It make sense. You become a better player at this level. The guy’s only 24 with his best years ahead of him. No bad thing if he stays and boosts his value with a good season. Plenty of others could be sold, particularly Paqueta if exonerated.
So ..Kudus has had a bad season.. Along with about eight other first team players for various reasons.
We have a new manager..So far the first team haven’t responded to Potter…18 games in…
I think replacing most of the first team to suit a manager who has been out of the game for over two years is a foolish folly..It won’t work…We dodged a bullet last year but the three teams coming up are better than last year….I hope I’m wrong…But selling a player…Kudus….Who will clearly show up for his next team tells me the management isn’t up to the task of getting the very best out of the players.
Hardly a Potter issue is it? The was poor under Jlo and he was poor under Moyes since the AFCON.
He was fantastic under David Moyes. Reason being because he was a brilliant player under a brilliant manager. Potter is the biggest fraud in football. Keep kudus and bin Potter ASAP.
Well pointed out Martin61 – in addition while Duran is very talented he seems to be a difficult character – hence Villa didn’t seem that sorry to see him leave
Also Kudus has already said that he wants to stay in the UK or Europe and play Champions League – so Martin T it seems that you have a non-story on your hands here
There are success stories of people signing up for SA. Equally, Kudus is a Muslim so he may not have quite as much of a cultural change……..and money talks.
The problem is that some players are only interested in how much money they can make and when sa come along and offer a massive amount of money to go and play over there they only see pound notes the reality of living there is a completely different thing they should have taken that into account before signing for their clubs I have no sympathy for them there is always a draw back when something is to good to be true as such they only have themselves to blame if they don’t like being there