Everyone knows the real reason why Tottenham might not sign Mohammed Kudus

West Ham are set to force Spurs to pay a premium price to sign Mohammed Kudus this summer, with reports of a 'Tottenham tax' emerging.

The Lilywhites are honing in on the Ghanaian international as they aim to bolster their attack for Thomas Frank's first season at the helm. Kudus has spent two years at West Ham after joining from Ajax in 2023, and shone during his maiden Premier League campaign.

The 24-year-old endured a dip last year as the Irons faltered as a collective under the stewardship of Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter. Thus, now seems like a good time for potential suitors to move with his stock taking a bit of a hit. Moreover, Kudus wants to leave West Ham this summer.

Spurs' interest is well-documented, but negotiating with our London rivals could be problematic. Hierarchal tensions mean Scott Parker was the most recent player to move directly between the two clubs back in 2011.

West Ham demanding more money from Spurs than other clubs for Mohammed Kudus

While West Ham are open to parting ways with their ball-carrying maestro and have discussed a potential deal with Tottenham, various reports have suggested that we'll have to pay more than other clubs to sign Kudus.

The BBC's Sami Mokbel was among those to suggest this, saying (via Hotspur Lane on X) there are "indications that there may be a ‘Tottenham tax.'"

The Athletic have confirmed reports of Spurs' unsuccessful £50m bid, but have said that talks are ongoing between the two clubs. The self-assured Kudus is reportedly "prioritising" a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer, with Chelsea's interest cooling after they made an enquiry at the start of the summer window.

If the Blues end up selling Noni Madueke to Arsenal, they may well reignite their interest in the player. West Ham, of course, would prefer to sell to the west London club.

Tottenham are the front-runners as it stands, though, and it'll be interesting to see just how steep this supposed 'tax' is. They're not going to get anything close to his £85m release clause, but could try to get £60m out of us.

A second bid is in the offing, with Kudus clearly our priority target. The new manager is said to have approved of the move, and the 24-year-old would undoubtedly be an exciting addition despite his underwhelming 2024/25 campaign.

Spurs have secured their left side by completing the permanent signing of Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich, and the purchase of Kudus could potentially kill two birds with one stone. The versatile Ghanaian can do a little bit of everything in attack, and there's scope for him to blossom as Frank's No. 10 or wide right.