With negotiations for Gittens seemingly stalling, it’s no surprise to see other wingers linked to Chelsea. They need to play the market and make it clear there are other options available if they hope to soften Dortmund’s stance.
Kudus is a fascinating option, as he’s such a mercurial, unpredictable player. His ability to seemingly corner himself with the ball, then miraculously beat three defenders and carry it another 50 yards, is not something many others can claim to do. Only Manchester City winger Jérémy Doku (107) registered more successful take-ons in the Premier League last season than the Ghana international (92).
For West Ham, Kudus has often played wide, but has shown the ability to play as the No. 10 or even as a split striker. Before arriving in London, his days at Ajax were split between winger, No. 8, and even as a false No. 9, so it’s no wonder he boasts such versatility.
There are drawbacks to his style of play, though. He’s so good at dribbling that he can come across as too individualistic or selfish at times, and he’s sometimes too eager to force a shot at the end of a run — rather than look for a teammate in a better position.
OTHER RUMORS
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Burley: Alonso has a lot of work to do at Real Madrid
Craig Burley reacts to Real Madrid’s underwhelming performance vs. Al-Hilal as they draw 1-1 in the CWC.
– Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres, 27, has threatened to go on strike as he looks to make an €80m transfer this summer, with Arsenal and Manchester United interested. (Mirror)
– Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, 32, wants to move to Manchester United, but his club are looking for a fee of £40m. (GMS)
– Liverpool want to sign Newcastle striker Alexander Isak, 25, this summer and are willing to pay more than the £100m they are already paying to sign midfielder Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen. (GMS)
– Having chosen not to sign Jadon Sancho from Man United on a permanent deal, Chelsea only have Pedro Neto, Noni Madueke and young Tyrique George as options on the wing, but with 18-year-old sensation Estevao joining soon, the club are open to offers for Madueke. (Guardian)
– AC Milan left-back Theo Hernandez is still of interest to Saudi giants Al Hilal at around €35m. (Fabrizio Romano)
– Barcelona are preparing a €30m offer to sign AS Monaco right-back Vanderson. The Brazil international has been a star for Monaco since joining the club in 2022 from Gremio. (Goal)
– Leeds United have made a £26m offer (plus £6m in add-ons) to sign Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz, 24, but it has been rejected. (Evening Standard)
– Leeds are interested in Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz, who is expected to leave this summer. (Tuttosport)
– The club have also made an offer to sign Lecce forward Nikola Krstovic. The Montenegro international, 25, scored 12 goals in 38 appearances last season, and has a contract until June 2027, with an option to extend it for a further season. (Sky Italia)
– Como are in talks with Real Betis to sign Spanish striker Jesus Rodriguez. Rodriguez, 19, has scored two goals in 21 league appearances since being promoted to Betis’ first team in January and has a contract until June 2029. (Sky Italia)
– Brentford striker Yoane Wissa is being tracked by Nottingham Forest, Tottenham, Arsenal, Fenerbahce and Galatasaray, but his club won’t let him go for less than £50m. (TEAMtalk)
