Chelsea are currently leading Arsenal in the race to sign Ajax attacking midfielder Mohammed Kudus, according to The Independent.
The Gunners are interested in the Ghanaian international but they will need to raise funds to match his £40m valuation.
However, Chelsea are in a position to make a bid for Kudus straight away, giving them the advantage in negotiations. Despite these latest claims, though, fans on Twitter are not that bothered if the club miss out on the player:
We don't need him,if Arsenal needed him ,we would sign him longtime ago
— Oluochsenior (@oluoch_mr) July 26, 2023
Good, he ain't good enough
— TryHarder07 (@THarder07) July 26, 2023
they can have him tbh , he’s injury prone
— 𝐺𝑅𝐼𝑀𝑅𝐸𝐴𝑃𝐸𝑅 🏴☠️🌪 (@dayyaantheking) July 26, 2023
I feel like we only let this happen if we have another plan… what we got planned for ESR
— Cameron Clarkson (@CamClarkson147) July 26, 2023
Arsenal never go for this guy if they where really in for him they will make it a double deal with timber media just linked arsenal with him
— uyinopaul (@uyino190) July 26, 2023
Am not sure ARSENAL were ever in for him.
Super Mik Arteta and Edu could have completed deal for both him and Timber if at all it's in our plan.
ARSENAL have an exemplary ways of doing their things.#InArtetaWeTrust— Hassan Mohammed Shuaib (@HassanM16991396) July 26, 2023
Top player but where would we need him? I don’t get it
— William Martinsson (@wmartinzzon) July 26, 2023
Arsenal have already signed their priority targets
As some supporters have mentioned, you do wonder how strong the interest is from Arsenal in Kudus. The 22-year-old is most comfortable playing as a support striker and, while can play out wide or in deeper areas, the Gunners are well-stocked in most of the positions he plays in.
There is an argument that he could be snapped up to provide competition for Bukayo Saka on the right wing but he is not an essential addition. The club have already secured the signatures of their top transfer targets.
Any move for Kudus will have to wait until sales are made
The Independent claim that the Gunners are planning to raise around £70m from selling the likes of Folarin Balogun and Kieran Tierney this summer.
Even though there is strong interest in Balogun, no team has so far made a bid for the striker or Tierney. With that being the case, it appears funds may only become available later in August. At that point, Kudus may not still be on the market but we shall see how things progress in the coming weeks.
