Mohammed Kudus, the Ajax forward, has stated that he is focused on helping his team defend their Eredivisie title and is open to signing a contract extension despite increasing links with a move to Manchester United. The 22-year-old has been in excellent form in recent weeks and also impressed at the World Cup last year for Ghana. Erik ten Hag is believed to be keen on a reunion with Kudus at Old Trafford this summer.
Kudus was used somewhat sporadically by axed boss Alfred Schreuder, who was dismissed after a seven-game winless run, but he has been a mainstay of the side since John Heitinga took charge. In his last eight Eredivisie outings, the Ghanaian has netted six times and laid on two assists to help propel Ajax to within three points of league leaders Feyenoord.
Ten Hag is thought to view Kudus as an ideal option to play across the frontline for United, providing cover and competition for the likes of Antony and Jadon Sancho. However, the youngster is not currently thinking about a potential move. Asked about his future and the possibility of extending his stay in Amsterdam, Kudus told De Telegraaf: ‘I am very happy at Ajax at the moment, but I will be even happier if we win the double. Why wouldn’t I want to renew? I play and develop well. Now it’s about negotiation and valuation. When the time is right, we’ll see how it goes. But that will have to be conducted with my agent. I want to focus entirely on the title race.’
Kudus actually came close to moving to the Premier League last summer when Everton held talks with Ajax, though the Dutch side ultimately felt they could not sell yet another player after a horde of stars had already departed. The Ghanaian felt Everton would have been a good move at the time, though he is now glad the transfer never materialised.
He continued: ‘The fact that Ajax blocked a transfer to Everton last summer disappointed me. I thought it was time for a new chapter in my career because I wasn’t playing here. But the moment the transfer market closed, my full focus was back on Ajax. The only reason I wanted to leave before that was because of my reserve role. I eliminated that problem myself. Everton are not doing well in the Premier League, Ajax are in the title race and under John Heitinga I am a permanent fixture. I have a strong faith in God and he has made the positive decision for me not to let the transfer go through.’