Should Manchester United Be Pursuing AFC Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus?

While Manchester United are solely focussed on a strong second half to their campaign, which has already included their first celebration of silverware, Erik Ten Hag will know that he has much work to do in the summer transfer window.

With a number of players leaving on a free transfer, and others that will be up for sale in the market, the Dutch coach will want to attack this summer hard in compiling a squad that is littered with quality to compete on all four fronts.

A glaring position that Manchester United need to reinforce is that of the centre forward role. While Wout Weghorst has filled in as a Cristiano Ronaldo replacement on loan from Burnley, it is to be expected that the Red Devils will go all in for a player who can become their first choice.

Weghorst has certainly played his part and has enabled Manchester United to tick in the final third – which is a hugely underrated aspect of the Red Devils’ form – but possibly not at the level to rely solely on. While more than a good enough squad option to have that offers something different, Manchester United will want a player who can guarantee them goals.

The likes of SSC Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane have been touted as primary targets, but it is also the 22 year old Mohammed Kudus from AFC Ajax that intrigues the Red Devils.

Signed while Ten Hag was the manager of the Amsterdam-based club for €9 million, Kudus has excelled at all levels since arriving in the summer of 2020. This season, in 32 appearances, the Ghana international has scored 16 and assisted three more.

Kudus, however, is not a traditional centre forward as Kane and Osimhen are. He can play across the whole front three and even as the tip of the diamond in midfield, where Bruno Fernandes likes to operate from. He is incredibly versatile and has no issue affecting the game and picking up goals from wherever he plays from on the pitch.

The Ghanaian has shown his prowess in the UEFAEFA
Champions League this season, having picked up four goals and two assists in six appearances. Ajax might not have progressed out of their group, but Kudus stood out in the Dutch side as one that could be earmarked for a future in the PremierPINC
League.

A tricky speedster who has tight technical ability, Kudus is a running forward that likes to attack those that stand in front of him. He is not a back-to-goal striker, but one that plays on the front foot and tries to dribble through traffic. His goals come from a vast array of positions he takes up throughout the game.

As Manchester United continue to progress under Ten Hag, there are clear signs that the Dutch coach would prefer a multi-functional forward line that can interoperate between one another.

With Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Bruno Fernandes and Antony, there has been evidence to suggest this, although mostly against low-block defensive teams. Adding another player like Kudus into the mix can only help bolster Ten Hag’s squad and provides needed versatility among the options.

Ajax are likely to hold out for a huge summer fee as they did last year with Antony, which could easily eclipse the £50 million mark. Ten Hag has a clear preference of bringing those he has worked with previously to Old Trafford and so is a transfer to watch with a keen eye.