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Chelsea are reportedly in talks with Ajax to sign Ghana international Mohammed Kudus and here are five reasons why that makes sense.
Chelsea have reportedly made contact with Ajax to express interest in signing Ghanaian international Mohammed Kudus.
The Athletic reports that Chelsea have made contact with Ajax with the intention to sign the 22-year-old this summer.
The report further states that Kudus is close to agreeing personal terms with Chelsea which leads to questions about why the London club are interested in the Ghanaian in the first place.
Here are five major factors that might have influenced Chelsea’s decision to pursue a potential move for Mohammed Kudus.
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17:41 - 22.07.2023
Chelsea reportedly make enquiry for Ajax star Mohammed Kudus
Mohamed Kudus, an offensive midfielder, is a target for Chelsea, who have contacted Ajax to express their interest.
5 reasons Chelsea are interested in Mohammed Kudus
1. Kudus’ versatility
In what has been a summer of departures so far, Chelsea are in the market to strengthen in a number of positions, especially midfield.
Kudus’ primarily plays in midfield but he is so versatile which has seen him deployed in many different positions for Ajax and Ghana.
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He can play as a central midfielder, attacking midfielder, wide midfielder, winger and even as a striker which is where he spent most of his playing time with Ajax last season.
This ability to fill multiple roles is crucial to Chelsea who are quite thin in midfield at the moment and could also use one more attacker.
In Kudus, they would be getting all of that rolled into one player and the perfect replacement for Mason Mount who departed to join Manchester United earlier in the transfer window.
2. Kudus wants to leave Ajax
The potential availability of Mohammed Kudus is another reason Chelsea are interested as the player is reportedly keen on a move away from Ajax.
The Ghanaian rejected a contract extension and his current deal runs till 2025 which might prompt Ajax to cash in now before his value drops any further.
Chelsea are trying to wrap up their transfer business early enough with the squad currently on a pre-season tour of the United States.
With Premier League football set to return in about three weeks, it would be ideal to complete this signing as soon as possible to allow Kudus to integrate with his new teammates before the competitive action begins.
3. Mohammed Kudus is a bargain
Ajax have not communicated publicly exactly how much they want for Kudus but a figure around £48 million has been rumoured so far.
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It is expected that whoever signs him would even pay much less than the estimate which makes Kudus a massive bargain.
A 22-year-old with his profile and experience being available for less than £50 million is a steal in today’s market and Chelsea would know that more than anyone else given how much they have spent on young players in recent times.
4. Kudus’ playing style and abilities
The player in question is stocky and strong, standing at 5ft 9in, he is built for Premier League football which is a plus as Chelsea need ready-made players who can hit the ground running.
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The 22-year-old has also displayed capabilities on the big stage with his stellar performances for Ghana at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and for Ajax in the Champions League.
Kudus finished the 2022/23 season with 18 goals and seven assists in 42 games for Ajax across all competitions.
His eye for goal would be crucial to Chelsea who struggled to find the net as a team last season and are in dire need of clinical players.
Kudus can create just as well as he can score and he is also quite skilful and fun to watch, all factors which makes Chelsea interested in his signature.
5. Kudus is young
Another reason Kudus has caught the eye of the Chelsea hierarchy is that he fits the profile of their recent additions.
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The Chelsea board led by Todd Boehly have had a clear transfer strategy since taking charge which involves signing highly-rated young players to long contracts.
Since the January transfer window, 25-year-old Cristopher Nkunku is the oldest player Chelsea have signed.
22-year-old Kudus is a perfect fit into that culture of young but ready players being added to the Chelsea first team which is most likely why they are so keen on him.
Perhaps we can expect another Boehly trademark seven-year contract in the next few days if both clubs can reach an agreement.
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