Chelsea came close to securing the services of Ghanaian star Mohammed Kudus during the summer transfer window, but the deal ultimately collapsed due to what Kudus’ agent described as a “ridiculous” offer made by the Premier League club.
Kudus had become a highly sought-after player following his impressive performances for Ajax in the Eredivisie, where he scored 11 goals and provided four assists in the previous season. Chelsea was among the top clubs expressing strong interest in the talented attacking midfielder.
Jen Mendelewitsch, the agent representing Kudus, revealed that an agreement had been reached with Chelsea, and the contractual terms were finalized. However, the deal fell apart when Chelsea offered just €20 million for the player and refused to enhance their bid. Consequently, Kudus opted to join West Ham in a €43 million deal from Ajax.
“We reached an agreement with Chelsea, we agreed on the contract with Chelsea, but the deal was not finalized,” Mendelewitsch explained during an interview with RMC Sport.
“He had discussions with the coach, but ultimately, it didn’t come to fruition because Chelsea submitted a ridiculous offer to Ajax.”
“No counteroffer was made. Chelsea employed this strategy with several players during the summer, making exceptionally low offers to clubs, fully aware that such offers would not be accepted.”
“The reality is that they were entirely focused on the transfer of Moises Caicedo, which absorbed all their energy,” he added.
The 23-year-old has shone since joining West Ham, with three goals. He scored his debut Premier League goal just before the international break against Newcastle United.
