Pretty miserable last season at West Ham, Mohammed Kudus is rolling the dice at Spurs, hoping to get that old magic back the same stuff that had everyone in Europe buzzing about him just a couple years ago.
So, here’s the deal: Kudus just inked this fat £55m contract with Tottenham. Long-term. He’s officially moved in at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as of Thursday. Big money, big expectations.
But what’s got folks talking is why Thomas Frank yeah, the new guy at the helm was dead set on bringing this dude in. Honestly, this kind of high-profile, big-money transfer? Not really Tottenham’s usual style. It’s a bit wild.
Let’s rewind for a sec: Kudus went from “best newcomer” vibes to, uh, hitting some serious bumps under Potter. Not exactly smooth sailing, but hey, maybe North London is where he flips the script.
Man, Kudus on the right wing last season? Straight-up menace. Racked up eight goals, nine assists 33 Premier League games. That’s not just good, that’s “oh, crap, we’re playing West Ham” good.
He was already making waves at Ajax the year before, especially in the Champions League. Ajax didn’t exactly light up Europe, but Kudus was dragging them along, setting up six goals in six games. The guy even scored a screamer at Anfield off the bar, no less. Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton all started sniffing around.
But, plot twist, West Ham swooped in and nabbed him. Didn’t take long for him to settle, either. Eight goals, six assists, and Moyes definitely looked like he’d found a gem. Sky Sports even had Gary Neville crowning him as the Prem’s best newcomer. Oh, and that solo goal against Freiburg in the Europa League? Pure filth. Won West Ham’s goal of the season. Deserved.
Then came season two. Honestly? Bit of a dud. Graham Potter came in, fiddled around with wing-backs, and Kudus looked all kinds of lost. Final day goal versus already-down Ipswich was about as exciting as it got. Potter stuck him up front a bunch, barely used him wide right where, let’s be honest, Jarrod Bowen pretty much has squatters’ rights anyway.
Dribbling numbers? Still wild led the league again, but way less successful. Down from 281 attempts to 198, success rate dropped too. Off the ball? Man, he was a ghost compared to his debut. Won possession half as often.
And, uh, probably his most memorable “contribution” for West Ham in that second year? Getting himself sent off against Spurs for losing his head kicking out, then throwing hands at van de Ven and Sarr. Five-match ban, major facepalm. He later owned up to it, said he was “deeply embarrassed.” You’d hope so, mate.
Now, if you ask Edu Rubio, West Ham’s ex-assistant, Kudus is still a baller waiting for the right system. Says he’s got that Bryan Mbeumo vibe fast, hard-working, can play anywhere across the front. Presses like a maniac, brings energy, threat, the whole lot.
Rubio reckons he just needs consistency. Fits a 4-3-3 or 3-5-2, loves quick, direct attacks sounds like a Thomas Frank dream. But, yeah, needs to mix it up when he’s on the ball, especially in the middle. Gets caught out sometimes.
Bottom line: Kudus is electric. Brings goals, work rate, and a bit of attitude. Could be that chaos merchant every team wants if someone can unlock him properly.
Honestly, Kudus just hasn't clicked up front with Potter running the show guess that wing-back obsession doesn’t do him any favors. But over in Amsterdam? Dude’s finally catching fire after shaking off those annoying injuries.
That goal Kudus smashed in for Ajax against Liverpool? Straight up outrageous. Seriously, if you haven't seen it, go hunt down the highlights he about took the net off.
So, Kudus is pretty much the poster boy for Ghana’s Right To Dream academy. That place has been churning out ballers since ’99, all thanks to Tom Vernon yeah, the same guy who used to scout for Man United over in Africa. Pretty wild that the academy even bought themselves a Danish club, FC Nordsjaelland, back in 2015. Not your average youth setup, right? And hey, Kamaldeen Sulemana (remember his flashes at Southampton?) he came through there too.
Kudus, though, started at Right To Dream when he was, what, twelve? Just a kid. Back then he was obsessed with Sadio Mane, watching him dazzle at Bayern and Liverpool. “I like players who entertain the fans and want to score,” he told West Ham’s site once. Couldn’t agree more. Football’s meant to get your blood pumping, not bore you to tears.
Anyway, he was one of three Right To Dream kids who hopped to Nordsjaelland in 2018, and get this dude made his senior debut three days after turning 18. No rest for the gifted, huh? His first goal? Chased down a lost cause, started the move, finished it at the near post. Classic “I’ll do it myself” energy.
Next season, Kudus fires in nine goals in 21 league games. Boom, Ajax come calling. But then, the injury bug bites knee and rib stuff. Annoying as hell. Only managed 33 league games and five goals over two seasons. Not ideal.
But then, he comes out swinging. 25 goal involvements in 42 games. That’s ridiculous. West Ham see that and throw down £38 million. Can’t really blame them.
This past season at the London Stadium was a bit meh for him, but hey, new Spurs boss Frank isn’t sweating it. Seems he’s convinced Kudus will light up their attack, which, by the way, banged in as many goals as Chelsea last year. Not too shabby.
Oh, and fun fact Kudus is the first player since 2011 to make this kind of switch across the capital. Not something you see every day.
So get this Kudus just became the first West Ham dude to swap his claret and blue for Tottenham’s lilywhite since Scott Parker did it way back in 2011. I mean, that was over a decade ago! Feels like a different football universe.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy oh boy, Spurs fans have roasted him for years about being stingy with transfers. When he does whip out the checkbook, though, it’s basically never for someone from a London rival. Friendly business across the city? Yeah, not his vibe.
That Parker move in 2011? Last time Spurs and West Ham did any transfer business. And if you’re thinking, “What about Chelsea?” nope, even longer. The last time Spurs and Chelsea made a deal was when Carlo Cudicini swapped Stamford Bridge for White Hart Lane in January 2009. That’s ancient history in football years.
Oh, and remember William Gallas? The guy basically committed football treason, jumping from Arsenal to Tottenham in 2010. That was wild. Gallas just strolled across north London like it was nothing.
As for Hammers making the trip over to Spurs, there’s honestly not much to write home about. Jimmy Walker joined in 2009, but he never even played a first-team game under Harry Redknapp. Bloke probably got more use out of the training bibs than the actual kit.
If you really want to dig deep, Michael Carrick and Jermaine Defoe made the Upton Park to Spurs journey in 2004, and Frederic Kanoute did it a year before that, in 2003. But yeah, it’s rare. Kudus is basically breaking a long, awkward silence between these clubs.
And now, everyone’s gonna want to see how Kudus’ stats stack up against Kulusevski and Johnson. Let the comparisons begin!
