Ghanaian midfielder Mohammed Kudus has officially joined West Ham United on a five year deal worth 38 million pounds from Ajax Amsterdam.
The transfer ends Kudus’ three year run with the Dutch giant after joining the team from Danish side FC Nordsjaelland. Kudus has four goals and an assist in three games for Ajax this season before joining West Ham.
The 23 year old registered his most productive season as a professional in the 2022-2023 season when he scored 18 goals and added seven assists in 42 games in all competitions.
After signing James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez, West Ham’s latest player addition shares a few ties with the London club aside being teammates with Alvarez at Ajax.
Kudus’s goal celebration of crossing his forearms to form an “X” sign is his way of blocking out negativity and coincidentally, the “X” sign represents West Ham’s nickname, The Irons.
Beyond this, Kudus has become the latest Black Stars personality with a link to West Ham after joining the reigning UEFA Europa Conference League champions.
Black Stars head coach Chris Hughton played for the Hammers as a full back from 1990 to 1992 where he played 32 games without scoring a goal.
Former Black Stars full back John Paintsil’s English Premier League career is largely synonymous with fellow London side Fulham but the former Liberty Professionals FC player made 19 appearances for West Ham from 2006 to 2008.
Like Kudus, Paintsil wore the jersey number “14” during his time with the Hammers.
Black Stars captain Andre Ayew spent two seasons with West Ham United and scored nine goals in 43 appearances. Ayew joined West Ham in a 20 million pound move from Swansea City.
After beating Andre Ayew’s transfer fee, Mohammed Kudus will be looking forward to become the most productive Black Stars personality in a West Ham United shirt.