Transfers

Chelsea failed with ‘ridiculous’ offer to sign Mohammed Kudus – Agent

Mohammed Kudus’ agent has revealed that Chelsea failed with a ‘ridiculous’ offer to sign the midfielder ahead of West Ham this summer.

Kudus was allowed to leave Ajax in the summer transfer window and the 23-year-old ended up joining West Ham in a deal worth €41.5million (£35.6m), plus a further €3m (£2.5m) in add-ons.

The Ghana international’s agent, Jennifer Mendelewitsch, has revealed that Kudus was initially offered to Paris Saint-Germain before the French club opted to sign Manuel Ugarte, another Chelsea midfield target, from Portuguese side Sporting CP.

Chelsea had also expressed an interest in signing Kudus but Mendelewitsch claims that the Premier League club did not follow up their initial offer, which was in the region of €15m to €20m (£17.4m to £23.2m).

Mendelewitsch also revealed that Kudus held talks with Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino and had even agreed a contract but feels the club were always prioritising their £115m deal to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton.

‘He [Kudus] wanted to leave, there weren’t 50,000 clubs who needed a midfielder and could afford him,’ Mendelewitsch told RMC Sport.

‘Obviously, we offered him his profile at PSG. Now, it’s the club’s choice not to not move forward. All clubs have the right to decide that they go to another profile or that it is not their priority.

‘It’s a shame because I think Mohammed Kudus would have been a suitable profile.

‘We reached an agreement with Chelsea, we agreed contractually with Chelsea but the deal did not happen. He spoke with the coach [Pochettino] but in the end it didn’t happen. It didn’t happen because Chelsea made a ridiculous offer to Ajax.

‘There was no counter-offer that followed. Actually, Chelsea did this to a lot of players this summer with very low offers to clubs knowing they wouldn’t be accepted.

Transfers

Disasi agrees personal terms with Aston Villa

Chelsea defender Axel Disasi is reportedly on the verge of joining Aston Villa after agreeing to personal terms ahead of a potential January transfer.

The Frenchman has struggled for regular game time at Stamford Bridge this season and is now set to make the move to Unai Emery’s side, who are looking to replace Diego Carlos following his recent departure.

According to Fabrizio Romano, via Football Transfer, Carlos joined Fenerbahce for €10 million, prompting Villa to identify Disasi as their ideal replacement. Romano shared on X:

“Axel Disasi has agreed on personal terms with Aston Villa.

“Disasi wants to join Villa despite interest from more clubs around Europe after direct talk with Unai Emery, crucial to get the green light.

“Deal now up to Chelsea and Villa to reach full agreement.”

Chelsea signed Disasi from AS Monaco for €45 million in 2023, but his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) has dropped significantly to €20.9 million due to limited playing opportunities this season. The 25-year-old has only featured in six Premier League matches during the 2024-25 campaign and has been left out of Chelsea’s matchday squad eight times since Enzo Maresca’s arrival last summer.

Transfers

EPL: Nottingham Forest desperate to sell out-of-favor Emmanuel Dennis

Nottingham Forest are facing difficulties in offloading striker Emmanuel Dennis before the transfer window closes.

The Nigerian forward has been out of favor under manager Nuno Espirito Santo and has not made a single appearance this season. Dennis’ last game for Forest was against Crystal Palace in May 2023.

The 27-year-old, who has 18 months remaining on his contract, is proving challenging to sell due to his high wages. Dennis currently earns £4 million annually, making him a costly option for potential suitors.

Discussions are ongoing with Watford, but his former club cannot meet his salary demands. Sheffield Wednesday have also expressed interest, but reports indicate their offer falls short of Forest’s expectations.

Transfers

Belgian club, KAS Eupen secure Nigerian striker Ejike on loan

Belgian club KAS Eupen has secured Nigerian striker Philip Ejike on a loan deal from Bulgarian side PFK Montana.

The agreement includes an option for the Pandas to make the transfer permanent at the end of the season.

Ejike impressed during his stint at PFK Montana, tallying 11 goals and two assists in 21 appearances.

The talented forward is set to join his new teammates in training immediately and could make his debut as early as Tuesday when KAS Eupen takes on SC Lokeren-Temse.

Mersad Selimbegovic’s team currently sits 13th in the league standings.