West Ham star reveals he spurned Arsenal before Rice transfer

Stuart Telford

• 31 Mar 2024 09:38 BST
• 3 min read

Mohammed Kudus has revealed that he turned down London giants Arsenal and Chelsea before joining West Ham from Ajax last summer.

Kudus emerged as a hot property at Ajax, and has continued his fine form since his €43 million move, hitting seven goals and five assists in 25 Premier League appearances.

Arsenal will feel they are a bigger club than West Ham, meanwhile - the £105m signing of their captain Declan Rice last summer testament to that - but Kudus decided his career would be better served at the Hammers than the Gunners.

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"All the clubs you mentioned, it's true they were in contact," Kudus told Jacob Steinberg when the Guardian journalist put it to him that Arsenal, Chelsea and Brighton had been in for him.

— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) March 15, 2024

'Gut feeling'

"But when West Ham came it moved fast and I made my decision based on speaking to people around the club, their project and how they see me as a player.

"I made the decision based on my gut feeling. That’s how I make my decisions. Whatever the ramifications are, I take it upon myself."

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Kudus' 12 goal-involvements in the Premier League are 12 more than his former Ajax teammate Antony has managed for Manchester United this season, and the Red Devils were conspicuous by their absence from Steinberg's list.

Antony cost United a potential €100m, but must now be considered as one of the biggest wastes of money in Premier League history, with more 360° turns than goals to his name this season.

There is sure to be a later clamour for Kudus' signature if he keeps up his form. His ETC range tops out at €46.2m per FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm, and he is likely to cost significantly more over the life of his five-year contract.