Newcastle interested in West Ham attacker once again as swap deal with Chelsea rejected
Newcastle United are once again being linked with West Ham winger - but face fierce competition for his signature.
Ghanaian international Mohammed Kudus joined West Ham from Ajax for £40m in 2023, having previously been on Newcastle’s radar before the Hammers swooped in.
At the time, the Magpies opted to sign Harvey Barnes from Leicester City for a similar fee.
Fast forward two years, and Newcastle are reportedly considering Kudus again as they look to fill the gap left by Miguel Almiron’s departure to Atlanta United in January.
While Jacob Murphy has performed well in Almiron’s absence, manager Eddie Howe has made it clear the squad needs more depth out wide.
“We need support for Jacob. He’s not going to play every minute of every game, and we also need to push him,” Howe said. “We’ll look at the academy and all available options.”
Reports this week claim Newcastle are one of several clubs monitoring Kudus, as West Ham prepare for a summer clearout under incoming manager Graham Potter.
The 24-year-old endured an inconsistent season and could be moved on to free up funds for a squad rebuild.
Despite speculation of player-swap deals involving Chelsea’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall or Robert Sanchez, West Ham are said to prefer a straight cash deal.
Kudus reportedly has an £85m release clause that Premier League clubs can trigger this summer.