Mohammed Kudus made his comeback at Jong Ajax on Friday evening. The Ghanaian midfielder came over from FC Nordsjaelland for nine million euros last year, but was not yet fully featured in Amsterdam due to injury. Hans Kraay junior is nevertheless impressed by the midfielder and sees him as ‘the natural successor to Ryan Gravenberch’.
Ajax paid nine million euros for the 21-year-old Kudus. Shortly after his arrival, the Ghanaian conquered a starting spot, but soon injured his knee. It took him months to recover and then had to settle for a supporting role. He suffered an ankle injury in preparation for this season, from which he has since recovered. On Friday-evening, he made his first minutes of this season in the Kitchen Champion Division against Almere City. After nineteen minutes of play, he was accurate with a slider from the edge of the penalty area.
Kudus brightens up his return with a goal! #? #almjaj pic.twitter.com/FEilEbKIhd
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) September 17, 2021
“I think that with Kudus, he is now number ten, they have the natural successor of Gravenberch in the team,” said Hans Kraay junior during the half-time of the match in the studio of ESPN. “A lot of people will now think I’m crazy, because they say: isn’t he a number ten or hanging left winger? Just before he got injured, he was often the first point of contact. But you have it ready. If you sell Gravenberch for forty million euros, I’ll just shout, then you have Kudus standing there. So: Overmars, well done,” said the analyst about Kudus, who was replaced after 45 minutes on Friday evening.
Prior to the duel between Almere City and Jong Ajax, Kraay junior already announced that he had high expectations of Kudus. “I expect so much from Kudus. He often played as number ten at Ajax. I really see him as the first point of contact in midfield, he is also very good at that. Beautiful football player,” said Kraay junior.
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