West Ham United are gearing up for a hectic summer transfer window with a massive squad rebuild on the cards.
Graham Potter has been struggling to get the best out of a dysfunctional squad left behind by his predecessor, Julen Lopetegui, and ex-technical director Tim Steidten.
A summer splurge is expected, but the Hammers will need to raise cash to fund their movement in the transfer market, and one player who could be on the chopping block is Mohammed Kudus.
Clubs at home and abroad fancy the 24-year-old, so West Ham may have a decision to make on the future of the Ghanian forward this summer.
Kudus has struggled with consistency
Kudus is undeniably brimming with talent, but his time at West Ham has been more promise than pay-off.
He has certainly proven to be a value-for-money acquisition after coming in from Ajax in a deal worth around £38 million.
However, consistency has been his Achilles Heel this season, raising questions about his long-term future as claret and blue.
Kudus has featured 29 times across all competitions this season, returning just three goals and three assists.
For a player of his attacking calibre, those numbers are underwhelming.
It’s also a massive decline from his spectacular debut campaign when he bagged 18 goals and 10 assists in 48 games across all competitions.
Kudus has shown flashes of magic and raw potential, but he has struggled to produce the consistency and end product West Ham desperately needs.
His performance in the 2-1 defeat against Liverpool drew high praise from Arne Slot, but it was another example of an effort that lacked a decisive edge.
Given what it’ll take for West Ham to pull off a large-scale rebuild, they’ll need to be smart about how they generate funds, and Kudus could be the first through the door.
West Ham would be wise to cash in while his stock is high
Kudus is highly sought after this season. According to Graeme Bailey (via TBR Football), West Ham are ready to sell, and Arsenal are among several clubs on his trail.
Clubs in Saudi Arabia are also keen and are not deterred by his £80m release clause.
Arsenal will prefer to negotiate a lower fee given his drop-off, but if the Saudis are willing to stump up the cash, West Ham would be wise to cash in while his stock is still high.
The Saudi league has made no secret of their desire to poach Premier League attackers, and Kudus fits their profile perfectly.
A big-money move would ease West Ham’s financial concerns and give Potter the flexibility to rebuild the squad in his image.