Arsenal were heavily linked with a move for Mohammed Kudus before he joined West Ham in a £38.5m deal last summer.
As well as Arsenal, Chelsea and Brighton were also interested in Mohammed Kudus.
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But it was West Ham and technical director Tim Steidten who won the race.
Kudus has been a revelation for the Hammers since, leaving the likes of Arsenal regretting not snapping him up ahead of West Ham.
After a stunning debut season in which he scored 14 goals and laid on seven assists, things have not started as well for Kudus this term.
Under Julen Lopetegui, the former Arsenal target has been pushed out of position on the left.
And his output has suffered with no goals to his name so far as West Ham struggle.
Kudus has done everything but score. Although things took an ugly twist at the weekend.
Julen Lopetegui, Manager of West Ham United, gestures towards Mohammed Kudus of West Ham United during the Premier League match between West Ham Un…
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
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Kudus and Lopetegui had bust-up at West Ham
While Arsenal were beating Leicester 4-2, the Hammers were toiling to a 1-1 draw at injury-ravaged Brentford.
It has since been widely reported that Kudus and Lopetegui had a blazing row in the dressing room at half-time.
Arsenal fans call Bukayo Saka their star boy and that is the moniker West Ham supporters have handed Kudus too.
So there was understandable concern as reports claimed the Ghanaian ‘had to be restrained by teammates’ after taking offence to Lopetegui singling him out for criticism.
Kudus was also seen kicking a chair as he took his place on the bench for the second half. And Lopetegui confirmed his shock half-time substitution was a ‘tactical decision for the benefit of the team’.
Many West Ham fans have been critical of the manager over the incident. They have suggested Lopetegui is to blame for Kudus’ frustrating form by playing him out of position on the left side.
There are also concerns that Lopetegui will make Kudus want to leave West Ham.
Especially as Kudus has a release clause in his Hammers contract active again next summer.
So the last thing the Hammers want to see is Kudus at the Emirates days after the row.
But West Ham star Kudus was pictured at Arsenal for their Champions League clash with PSG after the big bust-up.
The Hammers are not in Europe this season for the first time in four years.
And Kudus has been seen getting his fix of European football in north London instead.
An Arsenal fan has posted a picture of Kudus watching Arsenal beat PSG 2-0 on Tuesday night.
Thomas Partey of Arsenal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD2 match between Arsenal FC and Paris Saint-Germain at on October …
Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Perfectly logical explanation for star’s Arsenal visit
The picture has some Arsenal fans giddy and believing Kudus wants to follow in the footsteps of Declan Rice by joining them from West Ham.
But there is likely a perfectly logical and reasonable explanation behind the visit.
Kudus’ close friend and fellow Ghanaian star Thomas Partey was playing alongside Rice in midfield for the Gunners against the French giants.
Only last weekend Kudus was talking about the fact he loves there is a big Ghanaian community in London.
“I didn’t know how big [the Ghanaian community] was until I got there, but it’s good to know there are a lot of my people around,” Kudus told West Ham’s website.
Two top sources have also played down Kudus’ altercation with Lopetegui.
All eyes now will be on whether Kudus is back in the Hammers team for the game against Ipswich.
If not then speculation is certain to abound over the international break when Kudus meets up with Partey for a double header of games against Sudan.
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