Reported Liverpool transfer target Mohammed Kudus has named Thiago Alcantara as one of his big inspirations.
The Ghana forward is reportedly catching Liverpool’s attention ahead of the World Cup. And sitting down with The Guardian for an interview before the tournament, Kudus touched on a number of topics.
One of those was the confidence that he has in his abilities. The Ajax man went as far as comparing himself to Brazil star Neymar.
However, feeling he was misquoted by the newspaper, the 22-year-old took to Twitter to post a rebuke.
That’s where the Liverpool man comes in. Disputing the way he was portrayed by The Guardian, Kudus shared that he has the greatest of respect for both Neymar, and, somewhat bizarrely, Thiago.
Liverpool find their perfect Thiago successor?
Although we’re not too sure Thiago will appreciate being referred to as ‘the elderly’ it’s a nice mention for him nonetheles.
And it actually isn’t the first time that Kudus has spoken of his admiration for the Liverpool player.
In an interview with Ajax TV last month, he revealed that Thiago is the player he most wants to model his game on.
“As a child, I enjoyed his [Thiago’s] game. I love creativity and joy of playing,” explained Kudus. “When I played in Denmark, a friend of mine arranged a shirt from him. That was fantastic. The shirt hangs at my house and I am very proud of it.
“Sometimes he plays on ‘six’ but then, despite his defensive tasks, he does not lose his creativity. No matter where he plays, he always finds the balance between defending and attacking. That’s how I want to play.”
Given that Liverpool are reportedly sending scouts to watch Kudus at the World Cup, this is interesting news.
On first sight, the Ghana man’s game doesn’t bare much resemblance to Liverpool’s No.6. He appears a much more attacking player, somewhere between a No.10 and a false nine.
But perhaps the Reds recruitment team have spotted something that can be worked on to bolster Liverpool’s midfield. A Thiago successor maybe?
Kudus could be a smart signing and wouldn’t cost the earth. Having moved to Ajax for around £8m in 2020, his star has risen steadily rather than dramatically. A good World Cup could change that, but he’s certainly worth keeping an eye on.
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