'Best signing ever' - Ajax's reaction to Man Utd target's debut

Imre Himmelbauer

• Updated: 23 May 2023 09:09 CDT
• 4 min read

Mohammed Kudus showed unstoppable as Ajax won 5-0 away from home against SC Cambuur on Sunday, highlight just why the Ghana international forward is a player that a string of top clubs are keeping close tabs on.

Manchester United have been most closely linked with the 22-year-old forward, but Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona are among the other major teams said to be watching him. Indeed, he was even associated with a January move to Borussia Dortmund.

The capabilities of the striker, who was close to a move to Everton last summer, are under no doubt at Ajax, who expect a massive transfer windfall from the player to match that they received when United spent €100 million on Antony last summer.

PROFILE: Mohammed Kudus: The Ajax sensation wanted by Man Utd and Barcelona

Ajax head coach John Heitinga was effusive in his praise of the player after the weekend’s match. “Mo has exceptional qualities and it is up to us to use them,” he said.

Rafael van der Vaart still remembers seeing Kudus, who cost Ajax €9m in mid-2020, play for the first time in a friendly match.

“I spoke to Marc Overmars afterwards and he said: ‘This is my best purchase ever. He is going to be a €100m player,’” he told Studio Voetbal of his conversation with Ajax's then director of football affairs.

“He believed in him. Kudus hasn't shown it yet, but he hasn't been deployed in his strongest role either.”

MORE: Man Utd target Kudus ‘really wants Premier League transfer’

Ajax getting the best from Kudus now

Heitinga was extremely positive about Kudus after the victory in Leeuwarden.

“He is unusually strong, good in small spaces and in one-on-one situations. Kudus can easily pass a man, as happened when he set up Steven Berghuis. I still have to look back at the footage, but it's a great individual action,” the new Ajax boss said.

“There are several players who can play on the wing, but at the moment Mo is doing it very well. He comes between the lines at the right moments and just getting him off the ball…”

Kudus has “everything a footballer needs in his position”, is the conclusion of Van der Vaart.

“Strength, speed, this is the best player Ajax has. And he is now picked by Johnny Heitinga. That makes me happy, and I think it makes everyone happy,” he said.

Ibrahim Afellay thinks it's great that Kudus also impresses in the striker position, which is not his favourite place on the field. "And to think that he was on the bench for a very long time... Isn't that incomprehensible?"

Van der Vaart, not for the first time, questioned the choices former coach Alfred Schreuder made.

“I thought: ‘You saw how he played at the World Cup, right?’ Then he comes back and you don't have him in the starting XI. He can play anywhere. That is often also the problem, because then you will be abused. The way he plays now, on the right, he must have complete freedom. He gets that from Heitinga and now he can play wonderfully,” he said.

Ajax are next in action against FC Twente in the KNVB Beker on Thursday, with Kudus hoping to continue his fine recent form.