The Kudus Liverpool links gained momentum after Arne Slot and Virgil van Dijk praised Mohammed Kudus for his standout display at Anfield.
In West Ham’s spirited display at Liverpool on Sunday, the Ghanaian forward stood out, prompting both Slot and Van Dijk to single him out for recognition.
Their comments have added fuel to long-standing links between Kudus and a potential move to Anfield.
“I can name you one or two players that could easily have played with us today,”
Slot said in his post-match press conference, a comment believed to reference both Kudus and Lucas Paqueta.
The Dutch coach went a step further in his interview with Sky Sports, describing Kudus as “almost uncontrollable.”
Van Dijk echoed the admiration in his remarks to BBC Sport:
“I think Paqueta and Kudus were making a lot of good things happen for them. They had a bit of a free role, so it’s quite difficult to mark.
So you have to also give credit to them…we all saw when they played Arsenal away, that they can hurt opponents.”
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High praise for Kudus and Paqueta from Liverpool
While any potential move for Paqueta now appears off the table, given the FA’s betting charge hanging over him and the fact he turns 28 this summer, the door remains firmly open regarding Kudus.
The admiration from within Liverpool is nothing new. According to journalist Dominic King of the Mail, Kudus has been on the club’s radar for years and left a lasting impression after scoring against the Reds at Anfield with Ajax in 2022.
In a recent post on X, King shared:
“He’s been making a big impression on Liverpool’s squad for a long, long time. The dressing room was raving about his quality after Ajax played at Anfield in September 2022 and he scored.”
Kudus was heavily linked with Liverpool during the 2022-23 season and again last summer. And with Arne Slot expected to shake up the Reds’ frontline, it wouldn’t be surprising if the club reignited their interest.
According to The Athletic, the 24-year-old has a release clause set at £85 million. And this becomes active this summer for Premier League clubs.
It’s a figure that matches Liverpool’s club-record outlay for Darwin Nunez, whose own future remains uncertain amid talk of a summer exit.
Though that price tag may give Liverpool pause, it doesn’t eliminate the possibility of negotiation. West Ham are in a strong contractual position.
Kudus is tied down until 2028 with an option for a further year. But a lower league finish could put them under pressure to sell.
Kudus, who can play across the front line, further boosted his profile with his performance at Anfield.
The public praise from two key Liverpool figures may have been more than just flattery. It might just be the latest chapter in a story that’s been brewing behind the scenes for some time.
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