Mohammed Kudus has reportedly been late for training twice this week and has handed in a transfer request.
Thatās according to Guardian journalist and West Ham fan Jacob Steinberg, who has excellent sources inside the club.
It follows yesterdayās revelation that Kudus had formally asked to leave in a bid to force through a move to Tottenham Hotspur.
However, itās hard to paint the Ghanaian as the outright villain hereābecause West Ham were attempting to offload him back in January. At the time, it was only injuries to Jarrod Bowen, Michail Antonio, and Niclas Fullkrug that stopped the club from forcing through a deal.
The truth is that both Graham Potter and Julen Lopetegui struggled to fit Bowen and Kudus into the same team. As a result, a club decision was made to offload Kudus who would no doubt argue that loyalty is a two way street.
Ideally, the Hammers would have preferred to sell Kudus abroad or anywhere but Spurs, but it’s a bit rich for the club to complain about loyalty when they were looking to sell him anyway.
The real sting here isnāt the departureāitās the fee and destination. Just six months ago, Kudus was being talked about as a Ā£100m player, with hopes that a Saudi bid might arrive.
Instead, selling a 24-year-old star for Ā£30m less than his release clauseāand to a direct rivalāis a very bad look.
Remember that nonsense against Spurs last year that got him a ban? Difficult to know if he was passing the message that he was a) stupid or b) fancied some time off. Or both. That was enough reason to move him on.
The money doesnāt look wrong when you see Gibbs-White and Elanga have gone for something similar. Itās more there should have been an astronomical tax involved to sell to that lot.
Tottenham spending Ā£60m on Forests Morgan Gibbs White really shows up what mugs we’ve been taken for here.
Well done Sullivan for the totally amateur transfer window approach and planning.
How badly do we need an experienced effective DoF with funding. I thought Kretinsky insisted on this hence Steiden as he quickly realised how bad the club was at managing the squad and transfers
please stop patronising us, Kudus didn’t put in a transfer request as he was pimped to all & sundry so please don’t keep siding with this board as they lie after lie, & are not fit to run a bath let alone a football club perhaps if this board didn’t squeak when having to spend money the club wouldn’t be in financial difficulties & to blame Kudus is getting boring we needed an attacking coach or manager to get the best out of these players instead of the defensive set up, I’m glad I gave my season ticket up as I couldn’t watch this shower of crap as it stems from poor management from the board & I can’t wait for the day they leave they have sold us a lie big stadium better players ha ha ha West Ham died in 2016
Well said
Finally a sensible take
Absolutely hit the nail on the head Gonzo, it’s indeed not that we have sold him it is for how much and to whom. With Sullivan at the helm integrity and West Ham chairman behaviour will not go hand in hand.
His performances last season didn’t warrant a higher sale price, he looked decidedly rumbled. There was little interest so what was paid is his market value, the market was tested, others could have taken interest but didn’t.
We can spend the money better, I don’t really have confidence that we will though.
Kudus should’ve been fined for being late and his head a good drumming that we’ve set your release clause at Ā£85m. We’re asking Ā£20m less so until someone pays up you get on with it. If you want to move so desperately then get your agents and preferred new team to pay up. Blimey, if I’m 4 mins late in my line of work, I get deducted 15 minutes pay.
We needed the money right ? Heās gone letās move on . As you guys have links at the club my view is we need to ask DS to get off his fingers and make signings for Potter give the guy a chance to work with players . We are too slow in this window get things moving . No excuses itās wearing thin