Mohammed Kudus’ agent has been in Germany for talks with Borussia Dortmund after Premier League outfit Everton missed out on the Ajax forward, according to Sky Germany.
There are plenty of examples of footballers who took game to a whole new level following a change in position.
Javier Mascherano was an elite-level defensive midfielder before proving himself to be a pretty impressive centre-half too. Philipp Lahm, meanwhile, went from rampaging right-back to tempo-setting number six under Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich.
And when Sebastien Haller left Ajax for Dortmund last summer, few would have imagined that Mohammed Kudus would take his place at centre-forward. The playmaker-turned-poacher has done exactly that, however; scoring nine goals in 16 games since being re-imagined as mobile number nine under Ajax coach Alfred Schreuder.
Two of those came in Champions League clashes with Liverpool and Rangers; rasping strikes from the edge of the area.
Everton wanted to sign Mohammed Kudus from Ajax
“In the pre-season, I already saw a good striker in him,” says former Barcelona assistant Schreuder, explaining how he convinced Kudus to stay at the Johan Cruyff Arena following a £15 million bid from Goodison Park.
“That he emerges like this is great. He sees himself more and more in this role. During the period that Everton wanted him, I told him: ‘You are still going to be very important to us’.”
Amid interest from a Dortmund side who paid £33 million for Haller, Ajax’s resolve will be tested once more. Kudus’ agent, Sky say, has already been in Germany for talks with Edin Terzic’s side.
Dortmund, unlike Everton, can offer European football. Not to mention the opportunity for Kudus to take his game to a new level at a club who helped transform Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland into some of the game’s most coveted talent.
“Everton offered me a great opportunity and I wanted to try it,” admitted Kudus.“No footballer wants to sit on the bench and neither do I. Although I understand that not everyone can play all the time, Everton seemed like a good option at the time.”
22-year-old Kudus is under contract until 2025. Ajax will demand a sizeable profit on the £9 million they paid Norsjaelland a couple of seasons back.
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