Brighton & Hove Albion are looking to close out a deal for Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus. The Ghana international caught the eye at the 2022 World Cup and has attracted interest from Premier League clubs since. The Seagulls are leading the race for his signature but how much is Mohammed Kudus worth and what is the possible Brighton transfer fee?
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Mohammed Kudus’ market value
According to transfermarkt, Kudus is currently valued at €40m. His market value has soared over the past twelve months, partly thanks to his showings in Qatar where he truly announced his arrival to a global audience with two goals and some impressive displays in a tough World Cup group with Ghana.
However his performances for Ajax have also highlighted his huge potential. The 23 year old has a real eye for a goal from an attacking midfield or wide position. He netted 11 times in the Eredivisie last term despite only starting 19 league fixtures for the Amsterdam club.
What will really encourage Brighton is also Kudus’ ability to shine on bigger stages. Aside from his World Cup performances, Kudus has also impressed on a European stage, with 4 goals and 2 assists in his 6 Champions League appearances last season. The 2022/23 campaign was a huge breakthrough season for the Ghanaian who had struggled for regular minutes in the Netherlands prior to that.
Brighton’s transfer kitty
There’s little doubt that Brighton have money in the bank should they want to add new signings. The sales of the likes of Yves Bissouma, Leandro Trossard and Marc Cucurella ensured they made a huge transfer profit last season.
That didn’t stop them qualifying for Europe, but despite that impressive feat, the Seagulls are still close to breaking even on their transfer business this summer with Alexis Mac Allister and Robert Sanchez departing for Liverpool and Chelsea respectively. They’ve already signed a Robert Sanchez replacement in the shape of Bart Verbruggen while Joao Pedro’s arrival from Watford is their most costly piece of business to date but that deal could be eclipsed by any move for Kudus.
With Brighton valuing Chelsea-linked midfielder Moises Caicedo at £100m, they could be in for another huge cash windfall in the coming days and weeks, so financing a deal for the Ajax man should not be a problem.
Possible Mohammed Kudus transfer fee
Mohammed Kudus officially starts for Ajax as Brighton agreed on €40m fee already in July; still waiting to agree on personal terms as mentioned yesterday — not a done deal yet 🔵🇬🇭
More contacts will follow to get it done on player side. pic.twitter.com/ftzGGmxIdJ
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 6, 2023
Brighton and Ajax have already reportedly agreed a fee for Mohammed Kudus. That figure would be a club record €40m which feels like a fair reflection of his current market value. The midfielder’s career clearly appears to be on an upward trajectory and should he succeed in England, the Seagulls could quickly make a big return on that investment if recent history is anything to go by.
The only thing holding up this deal appears to be the player himself with no concrete confirmation yet that personal terms have been agreed. Kudus and his representatives may be holding out to see if another Premier League club is able to match Brighton’s offer with Arsenal and Chelsea reportedly interested.
The situation is complicated given Brighton and Chelsea are currently negotiating for the transfer of Caicedo. While they are very different types of players, should any move for Caicedo collapse, Chelsea may view Kudus as an alternative and cheaper target as they seek midfield additions, which could potentially prevent Brighton from landing a player who has been identified by Roberto De Zerbi as a key target.
