Mohammed Kudus admits he was keen on a move to Premier League outfit Everton before Ajax rejected a £15 million deadline-day bid from Frank Lampard’s side, speaking to NOS.
The Dutch champions, this summer alone, sold Antony, Lisandro Martinez, Perr Schuurs, Ryan Gravenberch and Nicolas Tagliafico, while losing both Andre Onana and Noussair Mazraoui on free transfers to Inter Milan and Bayern Munich respectively.
Oh, did we forget to mention a certain Erik ten Hag?
So Mohammed Kudus, it seems, would have been one departure too many. And with six goals in just five games since the window closed – including outrageous finishes against both Liverpool and Rangers in the Champions League group-stages – Ajax’s unusually hard-line approach has been justified by a player suddenly in the form of his life.
Ajax refused to sell Mohammed Kudus to Everton
“Everton offered me a great opportunity and I wanted to try it,” Kudus admits, having struggled to establish himself as a regular starter at the Johan Cruyff Arena until recent weeks.
“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.”
“I’m human and had to deal with a lot in a very short time. The chapter is now over and I’m still here.”
Kudus, capped 16 times by the Ghanaian national team, was also on Everton’s radar back in 2020 after an impressive breakthrough campaign at Danish outfit Nordsjaelland. He would join Ajax later that summer for a fee in the region of £8 million.
“The only thing is he should consider a club where he feels he could play week in week out,” former Ghana international Laryea Kingston told Goal at the time.
“Looking at Newcastle United and Everton; for me, I think Everton will fit his game because they give a lot of young players chances. I would prefer Everton.”
The Toffees saw a £15 million bid rejected by Ajax for their long-term target on deadline day (The Independent).
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
