Chelsea failed with £50m package deal before Tottenham swooped in this summer

It has now been revealed that Chelsea tried to make a deal for Mohammed Kudus with a player-plus-cash offer to West Ham before Tottenham’s bid, and why the East London Club rejected it.

Mohammed Kudus signed for Tottenham earlier last month after the club had made it a long-term priority to recruit a left-footed winger. Spurs had Bryan Mbeumo at the top of their list, but the Brentford man chose his boyhood club Manchester United instead.

That pushed Tottenham into the race for Kudus, who had been made available by West Ham after it became clear he would never displace captain Jarrod Bowen on the right flank.

The Ghana international had a release clause that varied depending on the suitor: £80 million for European clubs, £85 million for Premier League sides, and £120 million for teams from Saudi Arabia.

West Ham were open to letting him go for less, which naturally attracted interest. Manchester United, Chelsea, and Saudi side Al Nassr were all in the mix, but it was Spurs who pressed the hardest.

Chelsea’s motivation was clear as they had already decided to part ways with their only natural left-footer in Noni Madueke, while Raheem Sterling’s form had dipped and 18-year-old Estevao was considered too raw for English football.

Tottenham were in a similar boat, with Dejan Kulusevski sidelined long-term, leaving a hole on the right-hand side.

Chelsea failed with a bid for Mohammed Kudus before Tottenham move

According to a SunSport exclusive, Kudus had even switched agents to secure a move this summer once it was clear both he and West Ham wanted to part ways.

Chelsea came in strong, putting forward a £30 million player-plus-cash offer. The Blues valued Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at around £30 million and wanted to add him to a £20 million cash package for Kudus.

West Ham, however, rated Dewsbury-Hall closer to £20 million, and with both clubs miles apart in valuation, negotiations never really progressed.

Sources indicated that personal terms with Kudus were never an issue. Chelsea had been circling the winger for years, nearly signing him in 2023 before he moved to West Ham from Ajax.

That opened the door for Tottenham to pounce as they sent in an immediate £50 million offer, which forced West Ham to the table. After some back-and-forth, the Hammers drove the price up to £55 million, a figure Spurs accepted, tying Kudus down on a six-year deal.

Tottenham still pushing in transfer market

Within 24 hours of unveiling Kudus, Tottenham looked set to announce another major arrival. Fabrizio Romano reported that Morgan Gibbs-White had his medical scheduled at Tottenham ahead of a switch from Nottingham Forest, but the transfer collapsed at the last minute.

Spurs haven’t stood still since. Thomas Frank’s side remain without a recognised number 10 following injuries to James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, and attention has now turned to Eberechi Eze. Daniel Levy is said to have held direct talks with Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish, though progress will depend on Palace securing a replacement.

At the same time, Tottenham are preparing a third bid for Manchester City’s Savinho after seeing their first two offers turned away.

With Spurs back in the Champions League this season, Frank knows his squad will need extra depth and quality. Kudus is a superb start, but Tottenham will need talents like him all across the pitch if they’re to compete at the highest level once again.