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Ajax midfielder, Kudus Mohammed
Most players’ biggest desire is to play in the Premier League, and when their teams come knocking, it is usually challenging to say no.
Black Stars player, Mohammed Kudus, has three Premier League clubs interested in him and will have to make a difficult decision this summer.
He has already turned down Ajax’s contract extension offer, making his intentions about leaving glaring.
Arsenal, Manchester United, and Newcastle United are the clubs considering securing the Ghanaian’s signature, according to The Athletic.
Among the aforementioned teams, Arsenal and Newcastle have qualified for next season’s UEFA Champions League whiles Man United will need a win and at least a draw to secure their ticket for UCL football.
Although playing in the UCL is essential, the systems of the clubs and the foreseeable potential of enhancing his game through the team setup will be critical in his decision-making regarding which club is the best match for him.
Kudus has been the star of the season for Ajax, putting up some remarkable performances for both club and country. His numbers this campaign are staggering.
He has managed 24 goals involvement (18 goals, 6 assists) in 41 games with one more game remaining to end the season.
He was rated as one of the best under-23 players at the 2022 FIFA World Cup with two goals in three games.
Kudus Mohammed began his career as a central attacking midfielder or offensive midfielder. However, this season, he has played as a winger, a false 9 (most played role), a second striker, and in the double pivot.
His strong points include his dribbling, ball retention, short passing, and positioning, as well as his scoring ability.
Given these traits, which of the three teams interested in him would best suit and develop his game?
Arsenal
Arsenal, just like Ajax, are a possession-based side but has different strategies in their possession style.
The ideal possession would be filling in Granit Xhaka’s box-to-box central midfield role, operating in the left channel for the Gunners.
Xhaka has announced that this is his last season at the North London side after 7 years.
Xhaka’s role requires energy, good passing range, ball retention, late runs into the box, and fairly a good goal scorer with good shooting techniques.
The requirements portray a vivid picture of Kudus Mohammed. Moreover, the Ghanaian has improved his goal scorer and could be counted on to improve Arsenal’s goal threat.
Also playing under, Mikel Arteta, the 22-year-old is assured of taking his game to the next level as the Spaniard has done with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
Manchester United
Kudus Mohammed’s position at Manchester United is not as apparent as it appears with Arsenal.
United are more of a counter-attacking team and mostly relies on the direct and quick transition to break teams down. Kudus would thrive in such a setup with his drive and ball retention but only in the central area.
But under his former manager Erik Ten Haag, who started the course to unlock Kudus’ versatility, he would be used more in multiple positions and could end up lacking game time.
In the central midfield or offensive midfield role, Kudus would face competition from Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, Scott MacTomminay, and Fred. Him being a new signing, he could overtake Mactomminay and Fred who do not have guaranteed spots.
However, breaking through the lineup will be way difficult due to the quality of Bruno and Eriksen. Bruno, Eriksen, and Casemiro forms Manchester United’s midfielder trio. Bruno and Eriksen usually rotate between being in a double pivot with Casemiro and playing behind the striker.
The manager could end up preferring to play Kudus on the wings, where he will battle with Anthony, Sancho, and Garnacho. These are typical wingers who would offer more than Kudus on the flanks.
This means, his adaption might slow down due to rotation in positions, which might affect his game time and go a long way to affect his development.
Newcastle
Unlike the two aforementioned teams, Newcastle United is more of a defensive side with a direct attacking style. They usually go long and aim for the second balls or lure teams in and hit on a counter.
A midfield of Bruno Guimaraes, Kudus Mohammed, and Joe Wollock will be a delight to watch when the team is in transition.
Kudus will throve in Newcatstle’s direct football because he is one of the best when in transition. He also has a good work rate and could contribute to the team when in defensive transitions.
Moreover, the competition at Newcastle is within his range. He arguably has a better profile than the quality available in the squad.
In conclusion, Mohammed Kudus best fit for Arsenal and Newcastle but his game will be much better under Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
EE/OGB
