Mohammed Kudus was West Ham star boy but that star is fading and Liverpool are to blame according to a top journalist.
Last season Mohammed Kudus ripped it up with West Ham, cementing his reputation as one of the best attackers in Europe.
His form for the Hammers saw him linked with a big money move away as Liverpool and Arsenal both circled.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot knows Kudus well from their time in Holland.
Slot lauded Kudus when Liverpool faced West Ham and claims have persisted that the Reds may move for the Ghanaian as the heir to Mo Salah.
With West Ham reportedly facing big PSR issues restricting spending after a £155m splurge last summer, Kudus is widely expected to be sold to help fund Graham Potter’s rebuild.
Liverpool have largely kept their powder dry so far under Slot, so money will not be an issue at Anfield.
Liverpool secret behind Kudus’ West Ham struggles
Kudus has an £85m release clause active this summer.
Ahead of the January window, the Hammers said they would only sell before then if someone came in with an offer of £100m plus.
Last season that would have made sense, his form justified it. This season, though, it is almost laughable.
Kudus has been abysmal this season and hit a new low in the defeat to Brentford last time out.
As a result of his terrible form, many fans are concerned that West Ham will now be lucky to get anything over £50m for Kudus in the summer.
Many put the blame on Julen Lopetegui for Kudus’ drop off. Especially as the pair has a much-publicised bust-up.
But now a journalist has revealed the Liverpool secret behind Kudus’ West Ham struggles.
And it comes as the player himself names a Reds star as the very best around.
Loss of Heitinga to Liverpool has seen Kudus flop for Hammers
The Athletic’s West Ham reporter Roshane Thomas says Kudus was very close with John Heitinga.
The Dutch coach was assistant boss at West Ham under David Moyes last season.
Heitinga worked with Kudus at Ajax and recommended him to Moyes when joining West Ham.
Liverpool boss Slot came in and lured Heitinga away in the summer.
And that is why Kudus has been a shadow of his former self according to Thomas.
The journalist claims Heitinga would run the rule over Kudus’ performances with a fine-toothed comb and help him improve his game.
He may be onto something as Kudus waxed lyrical about Liverpool’s assistant coach in an interview with Voetbal Primeur.
Thomas claims his source told him Heitinga was demanding when it came to unlocking Kudus’ potential.
It was the key reason the Hammers ace scored 15 goals and laid on six assists across 45 appearances in his debut season.
Liverpool-linked Kudus names Reds stars as idol and the best
This term he has a paltry three goals and two assists in 23 appearances having missed five games after being banned by the FA for head loss at Spurs.
Given Liverpool’s links to Kudus, the Heitinga connection certainly adds a new layer of intrigue.
So too does Kudus’ answers when asked about the player he idolised most and the best player he’s ever played with or against.
Both answers were Liverpool players.
In a video on West Ham’s official YouTube channel, Kudus named recently retired Liverpool favourite Thiago Alcantara as his footballing idol.
Then when asked to name the best player he’s played with or against, Kudus answered without hesitation – “Virgil van Dijk“.
Perhaps Liverpool could be a realistic destination for Kudus, who scored a barnstorming goal for Ajax at Anfield.
If that solves a problem for the Hammers in funding Potter’s rebuild then so be it.
Liverpool clearly have the coach in their ranks who can get the best out of the 24-year-old.
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