Mohammed Kudus setback turns out to be great news for West Ham – opinion

West Ham United’s acquisition of Mohammed Kudus from Ajax for £38 million in the summer of 2023 was a significant move, and his impressive performances since then have drawn the attention of top European clubs, including Barcelona.

The Ghanaian forward has been a standout for the Hammers over the past 14 months, even though his start to the 2024/25 season under new manager Julen Lopetegui has been somewhat slow.

A minor issue arose between Kudus and Lopetegui during the half-time of West Ham’s recent draw with Brentford.

However, it appears that the club has quickly moved to address the situation, with the owners reportedly reaching out to Kudus’s representatives to assure them that all is well between the player and the manager.

Hopefully, this clears up any tension, allowing Kudus to refocus on his performances for the team.

Despite resolving the internal issue, Kudus has had a difficult week on the international stage, which could end up benefiting West Ham.

The Hammers’ forward experienced a major setback while representing Ghana.

In a disappointing run of form, Ghana lost 2-0 to Sudan, leaving them with just two points from four games in their AFCON 2025 qualifying campaign.

With Ghana now five points behind second place, the team faces an uphill battle to qualify for the tournament.

As reported by Modern Ghana, Kudus and his teammates would need to win their final two matches and hope that Sudan loses both of theirs to secure qualification.

AFCON 2025 is set to take place from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.

The last time Ghana failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations was in 2004, making the current situation a potential disaster for Kudus, who was recently named the captain of his national team.

While this is certainly a blow for Kudus personally, the situation might actually work in West Ham’s favor.

Should Ghana fail to qualify for AFCON, the Hammers would retain Kudus during a crucial period of the season.

The busy Premier League schedule over Christmas and New Year is always a challenging time, and having Kudus available during this stretch would be a significant boost for West Ham.

Earlier this year, West Ham felt the absence of Kudus during the same period when he was away on international duty.

His absence was keenly felt, and the team struggled without him.

However, it now appears that the Hammers won’t have to face the same problem this winter, which would undoubtedly be a major advantage for the club as they navigate a demanding part of the season.