Michael Essien joined Chelsea from Bastia of France, Sule Muntari was signed by Inter Milan from Premier League side Portmouth, Asamoah Gyan arrived in England from Stade Rennais of the Ligue 1 but Mohammed Kudus is joining the Almighty Ajax FC from a football club that is only ranked as lowly as 185th in Europe.
Nobody expected this to happen but it has come to pass. Ajax have also signed 20-year old Brazilian talent Antony Matheus dos Santos of Sao Paolo but recruiting a talent from Brazil – winners of five FIFA World Cups and the home of Pele- is not the biggest news.
The biggest news however is 19-year old Kudus moving from Nordsjaelland – a club ranked by UEFA at position number 185 – to Ajax the 21st best club on the European continent represents an interesting transfer and highlights the quality of the attacking midfielder.
Ajax – UEFA Champions League winners on four occasions – have sold Morocco’s Hakim Ziyech to Chelsea for reported 40 million Euro. They have lot of cash to spend in the market and Ghana’s Mohammed Kudus turns out to be one of the lucky youngsters the team of Erik ten Hag is investing this money into.
But how did this even happen in the first place?
The Right to Dream academy graduate brightened his small corner. The Denmark league is not one of the main leagues of Europe and overseas who cares about Danish football?
But Kudus despite finding himself in a lesser club and an inferior league put in strong effort delivering man of the match performances week in week out. Eric Ayiah for instance is at AS Monaco which is a bigger club and in a better league but he hasn’t got the first team opportunity to explode. Kudus was content and patient with football in Denmark.
This season he has 12 goals to his name for Nordsjaelland and what has followed is a transfer to Ajax the club where the likes of NwankwoKanu, Finish George, Clarence Seedorf, Patrick Kluivert all started to be recognized globally.
Kudus has taught us a big lesson. Brighten your little corner and always do your best as your effort will one day come catch the attention of the larger world.
