The Athletic (March 2023)
Mohammed Kudus: A star on the rise with Europe’s big clubs circling
By Patrick Boyland
Earlier this year, Dutch legend Marco van Basten appeared to suggest Manchester United had signed the wrong forward from Ajax.
In a TV interview, he extolled the virtues not of Antony, the £84million summer arrival at Old Trafford, but his former team-mate Mohammed Kudus.
“I find Kudus a much better football player,” Van Basten said. “He has much better technique and knows what he is doing.
“Antony may be faster, but Kudus is smarter and more technical. He is much more of a footballer and more fun to watch, you can place him anywhere on the pitch.”
Only time will tell if Van Basten’s opinion is vindicated. Antony is still acclimatising to a new league, while Kudus is yet to make the step up to the next level. But there is a growing sense that Kudus’ star is on the rise; that it is only a matter of time before he gets his own big move.
It was not so long ago that Kudus and Antony were in similar situations. Part of the Ajax squad that reached the last 16 of the Champions League last season, they both wanted to leave over the summer and reportedly went on strike in an attempt to force a move.
Antony was granted his wish, Manchester United’s offer deemed too good to turn down, but a line was drawn thereafter and Kudus saw his own switch to Everton thwarted.
It did not seem so at the time, but the way the summer turned out now looks like a blessing in disguise for the Ghanaian.
Nearly a year on, Kudus is being courted by some of Europe’s top clubs after a stellar season for club and country.
It has been the sort of campaign that those close to the player have long been expecting. Sandwiched in between two profitable, goal-laden spells domestically was the Qatar World Cup in which Kudus properly announced himself to the world with a brace against South Korea. It was always felt that he had performances like this in him, but just needed to avoid injury and get a regular chance to show it.
Kudus was already well known to club scouts from his time with FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark. But the World Cup and his ensuing displays have cemented his status as one of the next cabs on the rank — someone who could soon make the step up to the elite.
There has been little let-up in his output since Qatar. Picking up where he left off before the international break, he has registered seven goals and two assists in his last 15 games.
Kudus has arguably benefited more than anyone at Ajax from the decision to sack manager Alfred Schreuder in January. He had been told he was unlikely to feature, something he struggled to understand after returning to full fitness in pre-season, and sought a move away over the summer.
The situation under Schreuder created a window of opportunity for those looking to take him on a bargain deal.
Everton had followed Kudus since his time in Denmark and pushed hard for his signature, at one stage feeling they were close to reaching an agreement for his services, but Ajax blocked the move even when he tried to force a switch close to the deadline. They had already buckled to one striking forward in Antony and did not want to set a dangerous precedent where wantaway players knew they could force transfers.
Kudus had been keen on the switch to Everton but the dynamic has changed since John Heitinga replaced Schreuder last month. Lines of communication with the squad have improved on Heitinga’s watch, while Kudus has also been given greater freedom and responsibility in the set-up.
Kudus has always been versatile. Some of the scouts that travelled to watch him during his time in Denmark will have seen him play as far back at No 6. Years on, he is yet to establish himself in one defined position.
So far this season, he has largely played either as a false nine or, more recently, from the right.
While his clear preference is to play in central midfield as a No 8 or 10 — that is where he sees his long-term future — he has been a threat wherever he has played.
The Ghana international’s expected goals per 90 (xG90) is the fourth highest in the Dutch league. Despite not being a typical centre forward, he is adept at getting into promising positions. All but two of his 11 league goals have come in the penalty box.
Kudus is a prolific and effective dribbler, using his low centre of gravity as a lever to turn and surge forwards. He averages 16 carries per game in the Eredivisie and an average carry distance of nearly 12 metres — the highest in the Ajax squad. For progressive carries, he is in the 99th percentile among positional peers league-wide.
Currently, he is a more adept scorer than creator, ranking eighth among his team-mates for expected assists per 90. Diligent defensively, he is also in the 91st percentile for tackles won, adding to the sense that he has the all-round game required to make his mark as one of Europe’s top clubs.
The coming summer already feels like it will be a watershed moment in Kudus’ career. He has two years left to run on his current deal at Ajax and is not currently expected to sign an extension. Europe’s elite are circling, with tentative discussions having already taken place with a number of clubs over a potential move. Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool have all been linked with his services, although they are not alone.
Kudus’ value has risen off the back of the World Cup but this summer is almost certainly Ajax’s last chance to get top value for him. The expectation in recruitment circles is that the Dutch club would look for a fee of close to £40million should they decide to part ways with their star forward.
The feeling in Kudus’ camp is that he has proved he is ready for the next step. They are aware only a handful of clubs can buy him and will again place emphasis on the project rather than a specific league or club. When Kudus picked Ajax over teams in England and Germany in 2020, he did so predominantly because it was seen as the best interim step for his development.
Discussions this time are likely to focus on how he will be utilised in any new set-up, and where. Although his versatility is useful for managers, long-term he wants to be seen as a midfielder. The feeling is that now is the time to make his mark in his favoured position.
Kudus may have missed out last summer on a switch to the Premier League, but his time is likely to come again soon.
What seemed to be a setback at the time may actually have worked in his favour. He will head into the next window as a sought-after commodity, off the back of a breakthrough season where he displayed his qualities on the world stage.
This season has seen it all spark into life for one of Africa’s top talents. What follows is likely to be even bigger and better.
