West Ham may have sold Elvis, but with Mohammed Kudus, Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse and Konstantinos Mavropanos hoping they bought The Beatles.
Manager David Moyes didn’t want to waste the money made on Declan Rice and along with technical director Tim Steidten and sporting director Mark Noble have used that £105 million to try and build a lean, mean counter-attacking machine.
This approach got the better of Brighton on Saturday. West Ham completed just 31 passes in the first half, followed by 110 in the second half, but won 3-1 with 22 per cent possession at the Amex Stadium.
Moyes is not a mug. While he hopes West Ham will see more possession – they have averaged 27 per cent of possession this season, the lowest in the Premier League – he realizes they will have to make sacrifices as they face more attacking opponents.
That’s when they turn to blistering breakaways like the ones that broke Brighton and in Kudus, their £38 million man from Ajax, they’ve bought the perfect player to fly forward with speed.
West Ham were delighted with the £38 million purchase of Mohammed Kudus from Ajax
The Ghanaian can be very difficult to stop when he comes into full flight on the dribble
David Moyes will be happy to sign Kudus, who should fit well into West Ham’s style of play
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Direct and devastating, the stocky, 23-year-old Ghanaian is capable of counter-attacking single-handedly.
When you think of the Premier League players most associated with dribbling, you might think of Manchester City’s Jack Grealish and Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka.
Last season, they attempted three and four dribbles per 90 minutes respectively. Kudus averaged seven per 90 for Ajax in the Dutch Eredivisie.
Indeed, there are YouTube compilations dedicated to his dribbles, none of which were completed in the Eredivisie last season.
Footage shows Kudus consistently collecting possession in his own half, but then rolls his man and refuses to be knocked off the ball as he breaks forward.
His most memorable run of last season came in the 85th minute of an Eredivisie match against Vitesse Arnhem. Showing his athleticism, he checked a clearance before turning and beating five men, giving Brian Brobbey a chance he should have scored.
If a Premier League opponent brings him down, West Ham will be happy to take the free-kick as they now have Ward-Prowse, a set pieces specialist, and Alvarez, a statistically prolific header in such situations.
Kudus can operate anywhere in midfield and in the attack line, although it is on the right side of the pitch where he is most commonly seen for Ajax.
Kudus showed his goal-scoring talent with a hat-trick when Ajax defeated Ludogorets last week
Ajax won the first leg of the Europa League play-off game 4-1, with Kudus scoring three times
That way he can step in and step on his favored left foot, which, as his goals have shown, including that powerful strike against Liverpool in the Champions League last season, is a certifiable missile.
West Ham consider Kudus their summer signing. Even on Saturday, when Kudus flew to London with his agent Jen Mendelewitsch and West Ham technical director Tim Steidten on a private jet, there was some caution within the club.
“It’s like when we got Lucas Paqueta,” a source said. “I’m not going to celebrate until the contract is signed.”
Although Brighton wanted Kudus, and Arsenal and Chelsea were linked, it is West Ham who have secured his signature.
There is excitement at West Ham about Kudus and the attacking threat he can provide
Arsenal, Chelsea and Brighton were linked to the player, but West Ham secured the deal
On Friday’s trip to Luton, Moyes’ men are likely to increase their possession stats. But with Premier League fixtures against Manchester City and Liverpool following, Kudus will have a chance to show his progressive prowess.
It will be interesting if Mikhail Antonio is allowed to leave because of Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq interest in Saudi Arabia.
The 33-year-old striker has had an excellent start to the season and was instrumental in Brighton’s win, using his strength to bolster their counter-attacks. For the time being, he will remain on the selection, alongside Kudus and the three other newcomers from West Ham.
It was Garth Crooks who once said that Tottenham sold Elvis and bought The Beatles after Gareth Bale’s departure in 2013. We know how that turned out. But West Ham hopes it will all come together in ten years.
Michail Antonio, who scored at Brighton on Saturday, could leave for Saudi Arabia