Arsenal and Manchester United tracking 22-year-old midfielder valued at around £40m - Reports
Arsenal and Manchester United are among the clubs keeping tabs on Ajax attacker Mohammed Kudus ahead of the summer, according to The Athletic.
Kudus has established himself as a key player for Ajax since joining them from Danish club Nordsjaelland for around £7.8 million in 2020. He has bagged 23 goals and 10 assists in 83 games across competitions for the Dutch giants, helping them win three trophies, including two Eredivisie titles.
Ajax are under no pressure to sell Kudus as he is contracted to them until the end of the 2024-25 season. However, having spent three seasons in the Netherlands, the attacker reckons the time is right to take up a bigger challenge.
According to the aforementioned source, Kudus has informed the Eredivisie outfit that he wants to leave the club this summer. Ajax, for their part, would rather sell a player than allow him to enter the final two years of his contract.
Hence, a move away from Amsterdam appears to be on the cards for the Ghana international this summer. As per the report, Kudus is expected to cost a fee in the region of £40 million.
The 22-year-old will not be short of options when he leaves the Johan Cruyff Arena. Arsenal and Manchester United are among the clubs interested in him if the report is to be believed.
Apart from Arsenal and Manchester United, Newcastle United are also monitoring Kudus' situation at Ajax. However, it has been suggested that other players could feature higher on the aforementioned clubs' wishlists.
It is worth noting that Kudus was on the verge of joining Everton last summer. The Toffees had was close to signing the attacker on loan with an option to buy, but saw the deal blocked by Ajax.
How did Arsenal and Manchester United target Mohammed Kudus fare in his last game for Ajax?
Mohammed Kudus has made 41 appearances across competitions for Ajax, bagging 18 goals and six assists. His last start for the team came in their 3-1 win against Utrecht in the Eredivisie on Sunday (May 21).
Although the Ghanaian was not involved in the goals, he impressed for the Amsterdam outfit. The attacker registered three shots on target, the most by any player in the game, although he missed two big chances.
The Arsenal and Manchester United target completed nine of the 10 dribbles he attempted, which was also the most in the game. Kudus completed 35 of the 40 passes he played, including two successful long balls.
Kudus displayed his defensive prowess as well, winning 15 duels, although he conceded possession 16 times. The former Nordsjaelland man won four freekicks.