Mohammed Kudus (19), the latest purchase from Ajax, fits in Amsterdam, says Kees Luijckx, who played against him in the Danish league. Kudus comes from FC Nordsjaelland, signs for five seasons and costs Ajax nine million euros.
Kees Luijckx (34), playing in Denmark, knows the newest Ajax player well. In fact, he was even the direct opponent of Kudus. ,, He is really good at dribbling, ” says former AZ, Excelsior, NAC players who have been playing in the Danish league since 2015 at first Sonderjyske and now Silkeborg IF. “Explosive, powerful. You can actually always give him the ball. A boy who plays with a lot of confidence. I think that is why he suits Ajax.
If the medical examination does not cause any problems, then Kudus is an Ajax player for the next five years. The Amsterdammers pay the Danish FC Nordsjaelland nine million euros, an amount that can still add up through bonuses. Kudus is an attacking midfielder, striker or winger. In Denmark, he played on all those positions and scored fourteen times in 57 games.
Is he considered the best player in the Danish league? Luijckx: ,, Well, the talk shows here are mainly about the Danish boys such as former Ajax players Lucas Andersen and Viktor Fischer. But with the real connoisseurs, Kudus is doing very well. I am also positive about him. Although you have to wait and see how he will experience the switch. I don’t think he will be there immediately either. He will have to adapt to the higher level. ”
Luijckx thinks that the move to the Dutch league is good for him ,, I saw a statistic that he has made the most successful dribbles in all of Europe. Then you can think: well, in the Danish league. But on the other hand: many teams play defensive here. Then it is difficult to get through it. He always takes the initiative, which also makes him an attractive player for the public. ”
Luijckx makes an unusual comparison and immediately spoones up a forgotten football player. “Do you remember Stanley Aborah? That boy was considered the talent of Ajax fifteen years ago. I played against him in childhood. He was terribly good. Kudus is the same type. Strong, mega ball-resistant, also from Ghana. Maybe it sounds a bit strange now because Aborah never broke through definitively, but I do mean it positively. ”
Kudus is the third addition to Ajax for the coming season. The team from Amsterdam already brought experienced keeper Maarten Stekelenburg back to Ajax. At the beginning of this year, Brazilian attacker Antony was already bought. This is offset by the departure of star player Hakim Ziyech. Ryan Babel, Bruno Varela, Sven Botman and Benjamin van Leer also left.
Ajax pays nine million euros for Kudus. In the current football landscape it is no longer even an amount to be amazed. “It is a huge amount for Nordsjaelland,” says Luijckx. ,, Because of that amount, Kudus himself will also be under pressure at Ajax. Anyway, there is always pressure when you play at a top club. As I have seen him play football in Denmark, he does not run away from that. ”
Source: ed.nl
