Chelsea are the frontrunners in the race for Ajax Amsterdam star Mohammed Kudus
According to Ben Jacobs in his exclusive column on Caught Offside, Premier League giants Chelsea are leading the race to secure the signature of Ajax Amsterdam star Mohammed Kudus in the summer transfer window.
The Ghanaian international has been a staple of the Ajax first team since he moved to the club in 2020. Since then he has made 84 appearances across all competitions, scoring 23 goals and assisting 11 more.
The 22-year-old is a versatile player who can don a number of different hats. Not only can he thrive as a centre forward but can show a similar level of competence as a right winger, a central midfielder or even as a number 10. This makes him a solid addition to Mauricio Pochettino’s free-flowing attacking brand of football.
Kudus’s performances have garnered him much interest from the Premier League with Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion both keeping tabs. However, it is Chelsea who have now taken the lead and appears likely to win the race for his services.
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The Blues are closing in on reaching an agreement on personal terms with the player but are yet to make an offer to Ajax. Having sold well this summer, the focus now should shift to reinforcing the roster with additions that add quality and depth to the squad.
With the 2023-24 season just weeks away, it is high time that Chelsea ramp up their efforts to bring in new players. The Blues have been negotiating for Brighton ace Moises Caicedo without making much progress. They will do well to heed the lessons and close the deal for Kudus as soon as possible.
The player, for his part, is keen to leave Ajax and has already rejected a one-year extension from the Dutch behemoths. He missed training earlier on Tuesday as links to Chelsea got stronger. The Blues faithful will hope that the transfer is now just a matter of time.
A lot could, however, depend on whether Chelsea manages to sell Conor Gallagher for their asking price. They rejected an offer from West Ham United earlier this week with Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United also keen.
Kudus would be an inspired addition to Chelsea and could even future-proof several positions for them given his age. The sooner they get it done, the better it will be for Pochettino to integrate him into his playing style ahead of the new season.
