Micky Van de Ven was on the floor holding his head. Richarlison too. And then Pope Sarr had a push in the face. It is just to say that Mohammed Kudus had an impact on his most recent appearance at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.
The winger had opened the scoring earlier in the October derby, but was finally sent late after a Var check for his part in a melee, which started with Kudus by starting the ball several times against a Van de Vue. This summed up the frustrations of West Ham after exploding their advantage to go 4-1.
Kudus received a ban on five games for the incident. He later admitted that he had “lost his composure” and was “deeply embarrassed” by events. If the Spurs continue to sign it, there could be interesting initial conversations with its former opponents.
However, there will be a very different reaction from fans who removed it from the field that day.
Kudus is an exciting transfer target. Spurs rarely do business with West Ham – the Ghanian would be the first signature of their rivals in 14 years – but Kudus is quite talented to make an exception.
Kudus is about to be 25 years old, would add an essential depth to the large positions of attacking the Spurs and, after two seasons in eastern London, is well aware of the demands of the Premier League. With another three years to run on his West Ham contract, all this is added to a price north of 50 million pounds sterling.
So what would Spurs be for their money? And what is the concern of his winning a catchy first season?
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Look at some of Kudus’s best goals in the Premier League since he joined West Ham
Best newcomer, stammering the second season-Kudus will he start?
Kudus was named the best newcomer to the Premier League by Sky Sports’ Gary Neville at MNF Awards at the end of the 2023/24 season. A purchase of 38 million pounds sterling from Ajax looked like a case for West Ham, with Kudus marking 14 times in all competitions, fixing nine additional goals and providing excitement at the London stadium with its direct and direct dribbles.
He even won the club goal price for an electric race through the defense of Freiburg, which started in his own.
But there were only five goals during the last mandate. In addition to that of the Spurs, his only other goals returned to the house against Brighton and Ipswich, with his last strike from the season arriving with only three minutes to play against the relegated opposition to Portman Road.
Statistically, it was a disappointing drop in the promise of this first campaign. “There is no doubt that he is a quality player,” said Sky Sports Jamie Carragher said in May. “Last season (2023/24), he looked fantastic, he just doesn’t seem like the same player (in 2024/25).”
Kudus had more shots in his second season in West Ham – but his figures for goals, assists and catches were broken down
There is, however, the warnings around the form of West Ham and also the Kudus positions was invited to play during the 2024/25 season.
The Hammers have gone from the mid-height and quarter finalists in the Europa League under David Moyes in 14th row with Julen Lopetegui then Graham Potter in charge of the second season of Kudus in London.
The problems of injury in the West Ham attack led Kudus to play in four different positions in the first three games of Potter in charge, which he said Sky Sports was “very difficult”.
Kudus played 1,523 minutes on his privileged right flank during his first season at West Ham – but only 646 minutes in 2024/25
After having accumulated 1,523 minutes of play on his privileged right flank during his first season – cutting his favorite left foot to get to the goal or provide Jarrod Bowen in central areas – this number fell 646 minutes in the last quarter, while Kudus connected differences to the front line.
There were even stays in an unknown role in the center-center, where he admitted to having struggled with the physicity and the required tactical races.
It seemed that training had been done to try to play Kudus in more dangerous areas – his coincidence creation account made a boost, while his increased total shooting included a higher percentage of efforts closer to the lens. But with its closer figures, the spark and the excitement of the Kudus can bring to the West Ham attack was much more ephemeral.
Kudus took 44.8% of the 67 shots from outside the box in 2023/24. Only 29% of his shots in 24/25 were outside the box
The question is how it is a natural inconsistency in your game and to what extent playing in one side of West Ham lacks fluidity in their attack game last season? “Sometimes when the team does not work as well as you wish, individuals within the team can suffer,” said Potter when he asked him about Kudus in May.
A team from Tottenham – who finished three places below the hammers but scored 18 more goals – will provide the environment to help Kudus shoot as he did during this first year in England?
The approach of the owner of the new Spurs Thomas Frank will be important. Bryan Mbeumo, left football like Kudus, played on the right side of Frank’s attack in Brentford, marking 20 times last season. Could Frank help Kudus approach these levels?
The top scorer of the Spurs last season, Brennan Johnson, will be in the running for the same position, as the fact of Dejan Kulusevski, although he was increasingly used in the field by Angel Postcoglou. Thus, Kudus could also be deployed on the left, where he spent much of his minutes last season in West Ham.
The uncertainty about the future of Heung -Min Son, the end of the unsuccessful loan of Timo Werner and the relative inexperience of Mikey Moore and Mathys Tel – which can also be used as central spurs – average spurs could make an increased threat of this flank. Especially with the requirements of football from the Champions League which would probably require the rotation of the team.
Kudus, surely, can rediscover his thrust threatening the defense, his brand when he is at the top of his game, and the combination of spectacular strikes and rear finish, which he demonstrated during his last trip to Tottenham.
All of this is added to a valid investment for Spurs, if they can find a figure that convinces West Ham to sell. They then hope that Kudus will leave the opponents in a distress differently from his derby screen last October when he is next in N17.