West Ham have accepted that selling Mohammed Kudus may be the best way to boost their transfer budget. The Ghana winger, whose contract contains a release clause that becomes active for a set period this summer, is attracting interest from Al-Nassr of the Saudi Pro League.
Kudus impressedafter joining West Ham from Ajaxin the summer of 2023 but he has struggled to have the same impact in his second season. The 24-year-old has not scored for the clubsince Decemberand there is a view within the London Stadium that losing him would not be a disaster.
Sign up toFootball Daily
Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football
after newsletter promotion
West Ham will not push Kudus out but he is one of the few players in the squad likely to fetch a big fee. Graham Potter is looking to reshape his squad but funds are tight. West Ham’s recruitment department and agents close to the club are operating on the basis that there will not be much money to spend unless sales are made.
There is doubt over whether Kudus would be interested in moving to Saudi Arabia. West Ham believe they will receive offers for him from Premier League and European clubs.
West Ham are 17th after a dismal season and have an ageing squad. There are doubts over whether they will be able to sell the Germany striker Niclas Füllkrug, who has suffered from injuriessince joining from Borussia Dortmundlast summer.
Potter will listen to offers for Emerson Palmieri, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Edson Álvarez. Tomas Soucek has interest from Everton. Concerns over Jean-Clair Todibo’s fitness record could mean he is made available once the defender makes his loan from Nice permanent. Carlos Soler and Evan Ferguson are expected to return to Paris Saint-Germain and Brighton at the end of their respective loans. There is confidence that Jarrod Bowen, the club captain, will not look to leave.