Mohammed Kudus is someone who had been linked with Chelsea going back to the summer of 2023. Back then, the club were not ready to meet Ajax's valuation of the player and ended up signing Cole Palmer instead. At the time, that decision might not have been popular but it is safe to say that it has worked out brilliantly in hindsight. Just look at the recent Club World Cup final if you want any further proof.
The rumours linking Chelsea with Kudus did crop up this summer once again. And it felt like the perfect time to make that move.
Noni Madueke is on his way to Arsenal. It did not take fans long to put two and two together and come to the conclusion that Kudus was set to be brought in as the replacement.
Unfortunately, it did not exactly work out like that. While Madueke will end up at Arsenal, Kudus has signed for Tottenham Hotspur. Interestingly, it looked like Chelsea did not even make a push to bring him to Stamford Bridge. But why? We finally appear to have the answer to that query.
Real reason Chelsea did not sign Mohammed Kudus this summer
As reported by The Chelsea Chronicle, according to journalist Simon Phillips, Kudus was keen to start in a central position, but the Blues envisioned him on the right. As a result of that and his price tag, the club pulled away from a transfer.
Let's see how things will play out for Chelsea in the remainder of this summer transfer window. Who will they bring in to replace Madueke? Or are they happy with the options they have following the arrival of Jamie Gittens.
Names like Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford are being linked with Chelsea. And one would expect plenty more to crop up over the coming days and weeks.