West Ham's technical director, Tim Steidten, saw potential in Kudus and signed him along with Edson Alvarez. Kudus made an immediate impact at the London Stadium due to his ability to keep the ball and physical strength. By the end of the 2023/24 campaign, he had scored eight goals and provided six assists in a challenging Premier League.
However, in the last 12 months, Kudus has struggled to maintain his form. He scored only five goals and provided three assists in 32 games, a significant drop from his previous seasons. His performance has been inconsistent, and he has carried a heavy burden on his shoulders.
Despite this, Kudus has shown his excellence in associative play, with a passing range of over 84.5% in his time at West Ham. He has also demonstrated his physical skills, winning back possession on 376 separate occasions in two seasons. His tackle success rate of 60.5% is another testament to his abilities.
However, there is one area where Kudus needs to improve – his shooting accuracy. His shot accuracy of 47.8% last season is decent, but his shot conversion rate of 6.7% is a concern. This weakness may have contributed to the Hammers' hierarchy considering selling him.
Despite this, Kudus remains a young and promising player. However, he needs to improve his form and prove himself again to secure a big move. The Ghanaian is at a career crossroads, and it's up to him to take the right path.
Multiple reports have suggested that Chelsea offered a pick of their players in exchange for Kudus, but West Ham rejected the offer. A move to Manchester United in a swap deal for Jadon Sancho was also mooted, but negotiations failed.
It's clear that even if West Ham gets close to their asking price, Kudus needs to knuckle down and prove himself again. If he fails to do so, he may be sold to the highest bidder in January or the second transfer window of the summer.
It's better for everyone involved to have an unhappy player leave the squad, rather than disrupting the dressing room. Kudus is still young and has the potential to become a player of distinction, but he needs to take the right steps to achieve that.
