Mohammed Kudus, the 2022 Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Sports Personality of the Year, has revealed that his compatriot Andre Ayew influenced his decision to join Premier League side West Ham United.
The 23-year-old signed a five-year contract with the Hammers after impressing for Ajax Amsterdam, becoming the third Ghanaian to play for the London-based club after John Paintsil and Andre Ayew.
Mohammed Kudus, the Black Stars’ sensational ball juggler, is expected to make his debut for the Hammers when they face Luton Town over the weekend in their next game. He has captured the attention of social media users with a video clip of Kudus engaging in a conversation in Twi with one of his new teammates.
In an interview, Kudus revealed that, while he has not been able to hang out with the retired Paintsil, Ayew, who has been a regular teammate at the Black Stars, has been making positive remarks about the Hammers, which gives him hope for the future.
“Ayew has been speaking highly of West Ham; John Paintsil is way older, so I didn’t really get the chance to speak with him, but Andre [Ayew] is still in the national team, and he speaks a lot about his experiences in most clubs, and West Ham is one of the clubs that he speaks highly of,” Kudus revealed to West Ham United’s official media.
The former FC Nordsjaelland midfielder will wear the No. 14 shirt, which was previously worn by Paintsil, who played for the Hammers from 2006 to 2008.
“That’s great that I picked the same shirt number as John Paintsil,” Kudus said of his new jersey number for the London-based club.
Andrew Ayew, the Black Stars captain, may team up with Mohammed Kudus as Ghana prepares for their final 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Central African Republic on September 7.
