West Ham vice chair Karren Brady gives two reasons why West Ham decided to sell Mohammed Kudus to Tottenham this summer.
A big priority for Tottenham this transfer window was to sign a left-footed winger due to their lack of options in that area.
For weeks, it looked like Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo would be the man, especially after Thomas Frank made the switch from west London to north London. But when Mbeumo chose to join boyhood club Manchester United, Spurs were forced to look elsewhere.
That opened the door for Mohammed Kudus, who was wanted by only a handful of clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester United and Saudi side Al Nassr. Regardless, Spurs were the quickest to seal the deal.
Kudus signed a six-year contract with Tottenham and became the first player since Scott Parker in 2011 to swap West Ham for Tottenham.
Not many Tottenham fans expected to see Kudus walk through the doors at Hotspur Way, considering this was the same player who was once banned for five matches after clashing with almost half of the Spurs team last season.
Moreover, Kudus came to Spurs directly from London rivals West Ham in a £55 million deal that unsurprisingly left the majority of the East London Club’s supporters fuming.
While Kudus’ numbers last season were modest, 5 goals and 4 assists in 35 games, he was still considered one of West Ham’s brighter sparks in a poor fourteenth-placed campaign.
Tottenham saw the potential and, so far, the move is paying off. After shining in pre-season, the Ghanaian lit up the Super Cup before making his Premier League debut with two assists in Spurs’ 3-0 opening-day win over Burnley.
Karren Brady explains West Ham’s decision on Mohammed Kudus
Speaking to talkSPORT about Kudus’ departure, West Ham vice chair Karren Brady admitted it was not easy letting him go, but financial pressures ultimately forced their hand.
She said: “It’s always difficult to lose players that you want to keep. But the financial restraints and the PSR and all the rules and regulations in football mean that you have to do some trading. That’s just the way it is.
“All clubs are having to do it. You’re either restricted on what you can buy because you have to be careful of the financial rules, or you have to sell to try and buy. So that was the decision that was made.”
She added that form also played a part in the decision, saying: “He didn’t have a particularly good season for West Ham last year by his own standards. So we looked to move on.”
Mohammed Kudus’ future at Tottenham looks bright
It does not take a genius to see that Kudus has settled quickly into life at Tottenham. His versatility alone makes him a valuable asset.
He is equally comfortable cutting in from the right, operating on the left, or even through the middle. West Ham often used him in different roles, and Thomas Frank will no doubt enjoy the same flexibility.
That is crucial for Spurs, who still lack an experienced left-sided option. Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert are both raw talents who cannot yet be relied upon week in, week out. Once Dejan Kulusevski returns from injury, Frank could easily field Kudus on the left, giving Spurs arguably the strongest front line.
For now, Tottenham fans can only be glad West Ham decided to sell. Kudus may have been considered dispensable in East London, but in North London, he is already looking like the signing of the summer.
Have something to tell us about this article?
