In July this year, Tottenham Hotspur signed Mohammed Kudus from West Ham on a six-year contract for a reported fee of 55 million. That was a hefty cheque, but it has already started to bear fruit.
Ever since he moved to the Premier League from Ajax, he’s been on the radar of all the big clubs in England, but in the end, Tottenham secured his signing. At this juncture, even though it seems early on many metrics, it can be said that Tottenham made the right gamble on this Ghanaian beast.
The work rate that Kudus has shown, blended with his simple but supreme technical quality in terms of pressing and creating, puts him in a league of his own. Not many players in his positional bracket are at that level right now.
Out of the seven games played so far, Tottenham have lost only one. They are third in the Premier League table, which I’d call a good start to the season - not the best - but definitely good. And Kudus has played a big role, alongside the manager, in achieving this.
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So far, Kudus has started each game and made a goal contribution in almost all. He now stands at four assists and one goal, level with Jack Grealish as the joint-top assist provider in the Premier League.
Even though his heat map is heavily coloured on the wing, you can hardly tell the difference between the dye in both halves. He runs the most and even contributes defensively when needed. An average of 2.1 tackles per game is a good start.
Beyond the statistics and numbers, the sheer beauty and visibility of his game alone make a solid case for why he could be the signing Tottenham had always been looking for this summer.
What’s most impressive about Kudus is that he is a no-nonsense attacker, the kind that Frank apparently loves to experiment with as he goes. Kudus is given instructions, and he executes them just as told. He is not only disciplined but also doesn’t overthink in transitions and counterattacks. That is the most pleasing quality he brings to this newfound Spurs attack.
Moreover, along with being a creative force, he is the first line of defense and does that job quite decently as well. His take-ons are brilliant, and you can truly see the hunger for the ball in his eyes, even from a bird’s-eye view.
He covers the length and breadth of the field and is always eager to deliver. Complaints are seldom his thing, which is why he is the easiest for Frank to mould. Kudus can play multiple roles in this ever-changing team, and that is admirable.
Call me overenthusiastic for saying this so early, but he is the best and easiest player you can build a team around. But at the same time, building a team around a player is not the same as relying solely on his service.