One West Ham United player has admitted that Arsenal tried to secure his signature nine months ago in the summer transfer window.
The summer transfer window in 2023 was a busy one for both West Ham and Arsenal, as Declan Rice moved from the London Stadium to the Emirates in a £105 million deal.
Hammers boss David Moyes made four exceptional summer signings with the Rice money. He brought in Mohammed Kudus, Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse and Konstantinos Mavropanos.
There is a genuine argument to be made that we’re actually a far stronger team now than we were last season.
Moyes has genuinely top-class footballers at his disposal all over the pitch now.
However, it seems as though one of our star men could have been playing at the Emirates alongside Rice this season, had things worked out differently…
West Ham star says Arsenal tried to sign him in the summer transfer window
It seems as though Arsenal could have got their hands on another one of our players back in the summer.
Fortunately for us though, it didn’t happen.
David Moyes brought Mohammed Kudus to the London Stadium for £35.6 million in the summer of 2023 (The Athletic).
The 23-year-old has been exceptional for West Ham this season – what a player we have on our hands.
However, the Ghanian has admitted that he could have joined the Gunners instead, as quoted by the Guardian:
“I was ready to make that step after the season I had at Ajax. I’m a player who doesn’t want to be in my comfort zone. I could have stayed at Ajax. I knew the league, I knew the club. But I don’t want to be complacent and comfortable. I always want to challenge myself. All the clubs you mentioned (Arsenal, Brighton and Chelsea), it’s true they were in contact. But when West Ham came it moved fast and I made my decision based on speaking to people around the club, their project and how they see me as a player.”
Kudus now has 13 goals and five assists to his name for West Ham this season (Transfermarkt) – an exceptional return for his debut campaign in England.
We should consider ourselves very lucky indeed that we have him at the club. Hopefully he stays here for many more years yet to come.
Every single person involved in bringing Kudus to West Ham in the summer transfer window deserves huge credit.
READ ALSO:
If recently sacked 44-year-old PL boss is really in line for West Ham job, can we just keep Moyes
David Moyes could be replaced as West Ham manager by high-flying 37-year-old Londoner
23-year-old admits he can’t wait to return to West Ham and prove his quality to David Moyes
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
