Man Utd transfer target ‘better than Antony’

Karan Tejwani

• Updated: 21 Feb 2023 07:48 GMT
• 3 min read

Marco van Basten does not rule out that Ajax will receive a big amount for Mohammed Kudus.

The former football player and coach of the Amsterdam club knows that Antony left for Manchester United last summer for €95 million, and €5 million in bonuses, but he thinks the Ghanaian is of greater value.

"I really think Kudus is a better player than Antony," Van Basten told Ziggo Sport in Rondo on Monday.

Since John Heitinga took over from Alfred Schreuder at Ajax, Kudus has been running like a charm on the right flank.

Jan Mulder even calls him the best player at Ajax. "Kudus is a class player! Why didn't he always play under Schreuder? He often sat on the bench. You let him stand for three or four games and you see: what a class player. He is making Ajax at the moment."

Heitinga invariably puts Kudus as a hanging right winger, a position that was still filled by Antony until the summer.

"I think Kudus is a better footballer," said Van Basten. "He's more fun to play with. Antony had moves, but he could be so muddled, you know. Kudus has a lot more technique. He knows where he's going. He's much more of a footballer and an all-rounder for the team .”

Youri Mulder, Jan Mulder's son, who was also present, has yet to see whether 'Antony amounts' will also be on the table for Kudus.

"Speed often determines how much a player earns. Antony is faster than Kudus." Van Basten disagreed. "It's about how good you are and also how smart you are. I think that matters even more. Antony is fast yes, but Kudus is more technical."

Under Schreuder, Kudus was not a permanent fixture this season, but as a false striker he showed that he could score a lot.

Since the coach change, Kudus has been completely comfortable again.

George Boateng, the assistant national coach of Ghana who saw Kudus shine at the past World Cup in Qatar, also sees the same.

“Mo was our best player in Qatar. The fact that he did not play every game at Ajax before caused him a bit of frustration. You now see what the trust of John Heitinga does to him. He pays it off in full. And Mo should also play everything, because he is a special and unpredictable player.”

Boateng sees that Kudus can act as a declarant much more often. “If he keeps an overview in his accelerations and solos and lets teammates score more often with a cross, through ball or withdrawn ball, Mo can really become a world player in the next 18 to 24 months,” he tells Algemeen Dagblad .

Boateng is curious whether interested clubs are willing to pay Ajax's asking price. “But what I am convinced is that Mo can compete in the Premier League and other top competitions, because he is really an amazing talent.”