"It was sold well because it couldn’t be done anyway."
Fabrizio Romano, an expert on the European transfer market, announced on the 10th (Korea time) through his social media account that "Kudus's transfer to Tottenham has been confirmed. It has been finalized for £55 million (approximately 102.7 billion won). The contract period is 6 years."
He further reported, "Kudus did not negotiate with any other club. He only wanted Tottenham. A medical test is scheduled for Thursday in London."
Kudus left Ajax in the summer of 2023 and joined West Ham for £40 million (approximately 74.3 billion won). He recorded 19 goals in 80 matches over two seasons in the Premier League. Notably, he scored 14 goals in his debut season, leaving a strong impression. During the 2022 Qatar World Cup, he scored multiple goals in the group stage match against Korea, gaining recognition among domestic fans.
However, he only scored 5 goals last season. Nevertheless, Kudus is still regarded as a valuable multi-position player capable of fulfilling various roles. With his quick dribbling, active movement, and finishing ability, he is highly versatile as a second striker and attacking midfielder.
Tottenham is urgently seeking to strengthen its flanks in this summer transfer market. Son Heung-min, Richarlison, and Bryan Gil are at the center of transfer rumors. Timo Werner has returned to his original team, Leipzig, after completing his loan. So far, they have only added Mathys Tel.
Mick Brown, a former Tottenham and Manchester United player, noted, "Several teams are showing interest in Kudus, but he conveyed to West Ham that he only wanted Tottenham. This was a strong weapon for Tottenham in negotiations. West Ham could not ignore the player's wishes."
West Ham is preparing for a major overhaul ahead of the new season. To reorganize the team under the management of Graham Potter, who has been brought in as a firefighter, financial resources are necessary. Selling Kudus may not be an option but a necessity.
If this transfer goes through, it will be Tottenham's first direct transaction with West Ham since Scott Parker in 2011.
Kudus is also quite familiar to domestic fans. He was the player who scored multiple goals against Korea in the second group stage match of the international football federation (FIFA) World Cup held on Nov. 28, 2022, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar.
At that time, Kudus led Ghana to a 3-2 victory with consecutive goals in the 34th minute of the first half and the 23rd minute of the second half. Korea equalized with consecutive headed goals from Cho Gue-sung, but could not stop Kudus's winning goal.
Kudus has been a key player for West Ham since joining from Ajax two years ago. However, as rumors of a transfer to local rivals Tottenham spread for a relatively low fee of £55 million, fans are expressing strong feelings of betrayal. With 3 years remaining on his contract, questions are being raised about why West Ham fell behind in transfer fee negotiations, leading to criticism of the club's management.
However, Kudus had underwhelming statistics last season in the Premier League, with 32 matches, 5 goals, and 3 assists. In response, some fans are saying, "That's a decent deal," supporting the decisions of manager Graham Potter, who is trying to reorganize the team. There is also a reaction that Tottenham paid too much in transfer fees.
This summer, West Ham has significantly reduced its wage budget by letting go of veterans such as Vladimír Coufal, Kurt Zouma, Danny Ings, Aaron Cresswell, and Michail Antonio. Additionally, Evan Ferguson and Carlos Soler have returned from loan, and Todibo has been converted to a permanent transfer, signaling the start of a rebuilding process.
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