Mohamed Kudus (25) has finally left West Ham United and donned a Tottenham Hotspur jersey. He shook hands with Micky van de Ven (24, Tottenham), with whom he had a clash on the pitch a year ago, reconciling.
Tottenham announced on the 11th (Korean time) through their official channel that they have signed Ghana national team forward Kudus, with the contract contingent on the issuance of a work permit. They stated that they have agreed to a long-term deal, and Kudus will wear the number 20 jersey.
Tottenham introduced Kudus, noting that he debuted for the senior national team in November 2019 after progressing through the Ghana U-20 team, and made a significant impact by scoring in his debut match against South Africa in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. He scored two goals during the group stage of the 2022 Qatar World Cup and is currently a key player for the national team with 12 goals in 42 appearances.
The club further stated, "Kudus is an offensive asset with the ability to make fast, direct penetrations, versatile positioning skills, and a capacity for using both feet. He is expected to be an important asset as Tottenham prepares for the Champions League after winning the Europa League. It will be interesting to see what role Kudus will take on under manager Thomas Frank."
Kudus is a multi-position player representing Ghana, capable of covering several positions. After joining Ajax in 2020, he established himself as an attacking midfielder and a second-striker with his active play, rapid dribbling, and sharp finishing.
Kudus scored 16 goals in 63 matches over three seasons in the Dutch Eredivisie at Ajax. In the 2022-2023 season alone, he was notable for scoring 11 goals and providing three assists in 30 matches. He is also a familiar name to Korean football fans, having scored multiple goals against Korea in the group stage of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, leading Ghana to a 3-2 victory.
Having made a strong impression, Kudus joined West Ham for a transfer fee of £40 million (approximately 74.3 billion won) after receiving several offers in the summer of 2023. He has been active as a starting winger for West Ham, showcasing excellent dribbling skills and physicality in the Premier League.
In his two seasons at West Ham, he recorded 19 goals in 80 matches. However, while Kudus scored 14 goals across all competitions in his debut season, he managed only five goals last season due to injuries and a change in position.
Despite this, Tottenham, who wanted to bolster their attack, brought in Kudus. This summer, there has been speculation about the departures of side players including captain Son Heung-min, Richarlison, and Bryan Gil. Timo Werner also returned to Leipzig after finishing his loan. Before Kudus' arrival, the only new signing was Mathys Tel.
With this transfer, the 14-year-old transfer embargo between 'London rivals' Tottenham and West Ham has been broken. Tottenham and West Ham, which share the same London base, have not conducted any player transactions since Scott Parker in 2011. There was an unofficial transfer embargo.
However, with Kudus changing his jersey from West Ham to Tottenham, he follows in Parker's footsteps. Tottenham boldly invested £55 million (approximately 102.5 billion won) to acquire him. The British 'Telegraph' assessed that "Kudus will provide Tottenham with Premier League and Champions League experience. His ability to play behind the striker will offer Frank a wealth of options."
Naturally, West Ham fans are angry, calling Kudus a 'traitor.' In fact, Tottenham fans also have unfavorable memories of Kudus.
During a match against Tottenham last October, Kudus kicked van de Ven and pushed Pape Sarr's face, resulting in his dismissal. Richarlison, who tried to intervene at the time, also suffered a blow to the head and fell down. Ultimately, Kudus faced a severe penalty from the English Football Association (FA), including a five-match ban and a £60,000 fine (approximately 111 million won) for losing his temper.
Kudus and Tottenham have moved forward, leaving the past behind. Some fans expressed concern about whether there would be awkwardness when he meets his new teammates.
Tottenham also acknowledged this by posting a video as Kudus' first content, showing him shaking hands with van de Ven to reconcile. Kudus waved his hand with an awkward expression to a song that said, 'Nice to meet you,' and van de Ven smiled and reciprocated. The two wrapped up their reconciliation with a high five and laughter.
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), Tottenham, Sky Sports.
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