Man Utd target Mohammed Kudus has admitted that he was “disappointed” when Ajax “blocked” him from joining Everton last summer.
The Ghana international was only a bit-part player for Ajax last term under Erik ten Hag. He only started four times in the league.
The forward was subsequently linked with Everton during last summer’s transfer window but a move could not be completed.
Kudus’ performances have stepped up this season and he has featured more regularly. He has grabbed 18 goals and five assists for the Dutch side in 35 outings across all competitions.
This form has fuelled talk that Man Utd could look to sign him later this year. It was recently reported that Ten Hag has ‘demanded’ that he is reunited with Kudus.
Kudus is under contract until 2025 and he has indicated that he would be open to staying at Ajax beyond the end of his current deal.
“I am very happy at Ajax at the moment, but I will be even happier if we win the double,” Kudus told De Telegraaf.
“Why wouldn’t I want to renew? I play and develop well. Now it’s about negotiation and valuation. When the time is right, we’ll see how it goes. But that will have to be conducted with my agent. I want to focus entirely on the title race.”
Speaking on his failed move to Everton last summer, Kudus added: “The fact that Ajax blocked a transfer to Everton last summer disappointed me. I thought it was time for a new chapter in my career because I wasn’t playing here.
“But the moment the transfer market closed, my full focus was back on Ajax. The only reason I wanted to leave before that was because of my reserve role. I eliminated that problem myself.
“Everton are not doing well in the Premier League, Ajax are in the title race and under John Heitinga, I am a permanent fixture. I have a strong faith in God and he has made the positive decision for me not to let the transfer go through.”
Earlier this week, Ben Jacobs reported that Kudus and AC Milan’s Rafael Leao are among Man Utd’s summer targets.
“There’s Muhammad Kudus as well, the Ghanaian that was excellent at the World Cup and who Erik ten Hag knows very well from his time at Ajax,” Jacobs said.
“But Leao is a player that they’ve looked at, but there’s nothing much more to it than that at this stage and it’s a very long shortlist of strikers for Manchester United.
“The key thing for Manchester United and other suitors to understand about [Rafael] Leao is whether he signs a new deal because that in all likelihood takes him out of the equation for a summer move. But also what the price is, and that’s the big thing in all of this that Milan have always been really really strong and firm and high in their valuation.
READ MORE: Victor Osimhen… Napoli’s jet-heeled, soaraway Super Eagle set to tear up the Premier League
