Chelsea have suffered from a lack of reliable options on the left wing in the last campaign. As a result, the attacking responsibilities had largely fallen on the club’s number 10, Cole Palmer, as well as on the right wing, where Pedro Neto seems to have solidified his position, having appeared in 46 matches.
The Blues are already pushing to get the Jamie Gittens deal over the line to secure the left wing position. However, it looks like that’s not the only flank Chelsea are looking to reinforce, as reports suggest that the Blues are considering bringing in Mohammed Kudus.
The club is back at the table for the Ghana international. He is also wanted by Manchester United and Newcastle United, among other clubs.
According to The Guardian, Chelsea have held further talks with West Ham United over Kudus. They failed with an initial approach. The player's contract contains an £85m release clause.
Chelsea hold further talks with West Ham over a possible move for Mohammed Kudus
Kudus is a versatile player capable of playing in multiple positions, including on both wings and through the middle as a number 10. Notably, the 24-year-old has also played as a centre-forward on several occasions for his nation and also for his former club Ajax.
He was one of the standout performers in the Premier League in his 2023–24 debut season with West Ham, registering 18 goals and 10 assists for the club across all competitions. However, the Ghana international has seen a significant dip in those numbers with just 5 goals and 4 assists to his name in the 2024-25 campaign.
Another key consideration for Chelsea is the 24-year-old’s steep release clause of £85 million, which is valid for the first 10 days of July for only Premier League clubs. Although the final transfer fee could be negotiated, West Ham have made it clear that they are only interested in a cash-only deal and are not open to any proposals involving players in return.
With Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto in the squad, both of whom play in the positions Kudus prefers, it is far from guaranteed that the Ghanaian international will get regular starts at the club. So, spending that much money on a potential rotational player makes little sense, to be honest.
The Blues have already suffered on numerous occasions from signing multiple players with the same profile. So, although it's true that Kudus is a very talented player with much to offer, Chelsea shouldn't act in haste to complete the deal and should also keep the transfer amount in mind from making any move.