Charles Watts has backed Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal to secure the transfer of Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus ‘later on in the 2023 summer transfer window’.
The Arsenal transfer expert pointed out that the 22-year-old is someone who ‘Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar want’ this summer.
But Watts added that the Premier League title chasers will need to ‘sell’, before he expects them to dip into the transfer market by bringing in more incomings this summer, as he told Arsenal Insider.
He expects Mohammed Kudus to be one of those players, although, he did point out that Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea are also keen to take him on board.
The quicker Arsenal are in selling those unwanted players or those who want to leave, the better.
And if they manage to land Kudus’ talents, then as Watts mentioned, he is someone that ‘fits the bill’ for the London club.
“There has been a lot of talk about Mohammed Kudus possibly coming to Arsenal,” said Watts. “Sven Mislintat. Remember him? Arsenal’s former Head of International Recruitment. He is now Sporting Director at Ajax where Kudus plays and he has been talking about Kudus’ future.
“I have said that I do expect Arsenal to have another look in terms of incomings this transfer window. But I do think it will be later on in the window. The focus, right now, is moving players on. Getting some money in.
“If they can do that, then they can reassess. I look at Kudus. I think he fits the bill. He can play on the right. He is versatile. He is exactly what Mikel Arteta and Edu want. The age profile. He ticks an awful lot of boxes.
“If Arsenal can move players on, and Kudus is still on the market, which is a big thing because Chelsea are interested in him as well, then it wouldn’t surprise me if they firm up that interest in him.”
‘Star boy’ Kudus
That’s a title that belongs to a certain Bukayo Saka, but it’s also one Nigel de Jong gave Kudus at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
The Ghana international showcased his skill on world football’s biggest stage, as well as in the Champions League last season, which impressed a certain Thierry Henry.
But with Ajax not in the Champions League next term, then this opens the door for Kudus to take that next step in his career.
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