26 August 2023 , 06:29
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David Moyes believes West Ham have become an attractive destination for star names as the club closes in on a £38m move for Ajax attacker Mohammed Kudus.
But the Scot has warned it is too early to be certain the Hammers have re-invested the £105m made from selling captain Declan Rice to Arsenal wisely. Technical director Tim Steidten flew to Bulgaria on Thursday to tie up the deal for Kudus after he scored a hat-trick in Ajax’s Europa League win over Ludogorets.
The Ghanian is expected to fly to London with Steidten on Saturday before having a medical. Personal terms have already been agreed and he will sign a five-year deal to become the second arrival in East London from Amsterdam after Mexico midfielder Edson Alvarez.
And the ability to sign a player coveted by a host of Premier League sides shows the rise of West Ham ’s standing following last season’s Conference League triumph.
“There is a pull to West Ham and, I’ve got to say, Tim is working really hard to get players in,” Moyes said. “We’re working to try to identify the ones we’d like to bring in. I feel there is optimism about it.
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“We’ve brought in players who, at the moment, on paper, look all good. Maybe we get another couple before we wrap up. We hope we’ve spent the money really well but we’re only two games into it.”
Defender Dinos Mavropanos, signed from Stuttgart on Tuesday, will not be involved away to Brighton today because of a minor injury, but James Ward-Prowse will make his second start since arriving from Southampton.
West Ham are yet to beat Albion in the Premier League, drawing six and losing six, and Moyes says their head coach Roberto De Zerbi has left a lot of rivals befuddled.
“I can't use the word I'd really like to use but he is absolutely messing up a lot of managers’ heads,” Moyes said. “It is a challenge the way his teams play, it really is.
“Brighton have got a very good manager who maybe is slightly different in what he does, but it will be interesting to see how the season goes on.
“Everybody will be trying to find a way to stop them and beat them, like we are, and see what we can do to get a better result.”