Reports suggesting Everton are close to a deal for Ajax midfielder Mohamed Kudus are wide of the mark.
That’s according to journalists Mike Verweij and Freek Jansen, who say the Dutch side are insistent no bid or contact has been made for the player.
Kudus was linked with a move to Everton yesterday, with reports in England stating that a deal was close to being completed on a season-long loan deal.
The rumour was very much an English based one, with no coverage in the Netherlands beyond reporting what had been said in England.
Well, according to Verweij and Jansen, who cover Ajax for De Telegraaf and Voetbal International respectively, those reports are wide of the mark.
The latter reports that to date ‘no club’ has spoken to Ajax about Kudus and there would be little point in doing so anyway as they don’t want to lose him. A departure is ‘not negotiable’ as far as they are concerned.
Jansen repeats that statement almost word for word, stating that the short answer from Ajax to the rumours is that ‘no club has officially reported’ for him. He too says the Dutch side don’t want to lose the player either.
Vanuit Ajax kort antwoord op transfergerucht Mohammed Kudus: er heeft zich geen club officieel gemeld in Amsterdam. Ajax wil de Ghanese middenvelder ook niet kwijt. #Ajax
— Freek Jansen (@Freek_JansenVI) August 20, 2022
That, then, is a categorical denial of the rumours about a move to Everton as you’ll get and given the wording seems to be a direct statement from Ajax.
It certainly wouldn’t be surprising if someone inside the club has provided both journalists with that response when questioned given how Verweij and Jansen are pretty much reporting the same thing.
Of course, the situation could always change and perhaps Everton are interested in Kudus but for now, those in the know in the Netherlands are insisting a deal doesn’t even exist.
Vanuit Ajax kort antwoord op transfergerucht Mohammed Kudus: er heeft zich geen club officieel gemeld in Amsterdam. Ajax wil de Ghanese middenvelder ook niet kwijt. #Ajax
— Freek Jansen (@Freek_JansenVI) August 20, 2022