Tottenham Star Impresses Against Leeds as Thomas Frank Hails Him Liverpool’s Ideal Salah Successor
Tottenham’s high-profile summer acquisition Thomas Frank was right to sign Mohammed Kudus, and his outstanding performance as Leeds lost 2-1 on Saturday afternoon may give Liverpool some fuel for thought as they search for Mo Salah’s successor.
Given the extravagant amounts that were spent elsewhere in the Premier League this summer, the Ghanaian’s £55 million (€65 million, $74.5 million) move from West Ham to London did not generate much notice.
Tottenham’s loss of a player who could have given the Hammers a much-needed spark aroused concerns about the kind of player they would be acquiring and whether they were acquiring a star who could step up.
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The 44-time Ghanaian captain has not appeared out of place in the first few months and has been improving slowly under Frank’s tutelage. In his first six Premier League games, he had four assists, which was really encouraging.
However, his performance at Elland Road on Saturday demonstrated why Spurs have truly struck gold in Kudus as they won 2-1 after a fiercely contested and fascinating match that offered not just fantastic entertainment but also four seasons in one.
The 25-year-old was everywhere, posing a threat to Leeds’ defence the entire afternoon and giving their usually very reliable left-back signing, Gabriel Gudmunsson, his most challenging afternoon since joining the team.
He had a brilliant goal, his first in a Spurs shirt, and an assist for Mathys Tel for the first goal, which demonstrated his increasing confidence.
The goal was a wonderful strike, robbing Gudmundsson of a bouncing ball before sprinting across the area and putting a low shot into the corner from 20 yards out.
“Kudus has been electric at times since he arrived at Spurs, so you know what you are going to get,” Lucy Ward declared in her co-commentary for TNT Sports. Because he is so quick, he finds the small opening he needs and puts it in the back of the net. Fantastic end. Wonderful solo performance.
It was not only a goal that gave Spurs a boost in confidence and gave Frank his first career victory over opposite number Daniel Farke, but it also caused some controversy on Merseyside and gave Liverpool some serious food for thought as they consider a long-term replacement for club legend Mo Salah.
Normally Liverpool had previously been said to be interested in Kudus. They have been interested in him since he was a player at Ajax, when then-manager Jurgen Klopp showed a keen interest in him, indicating that they were always keeping an eye on him.
Because of those moments of genius at the London Stadium, the Reds were repeatedly mentioned as a potential transfer target.
His performance as Man of the Match for Spurs will have been well observed by Anfield’s transfer chiefs. Salah-like heights are also reached by five goal contributions in seven Premier League games.
And this time around, or as it will be starting in 2026, Liverpool’s dilemma of how to replace the outstanding Salah will soon become a highly relevant one.
The discussion of the past few weeks has mostly focused on Michael Olise, the outstanding France international player for Bayern Munich.
He is definitely the kind of player Liverpool would want, and he is taking his game to the next level at Bayern.
There is a good chance that a move to Anfield will succeed. Olise already plays with a European powerhouse, and in the Allianz Arena, he has an equal chance of winning the Champions League as he would at Anfield. Everything is set up for success.
Not to mention the £150 million (€172 million, $202 million) asking price that seems to be on the former Crystal Palace player’s head. Would Kudus be a more manageable target in light of this?
However, it would not be a given that Spurs would just give in and let the player take the initiative. But when the Reds set their sights on a player, they typically succeed, as demonstrated this summer with Alexander Isak.
Could Liverpool Have Found Mo Salah’s Long-Term Replacement in Mohammed Kudus?
It remains to be seen if Kudus will prove to be the right candidate to succeed the fabled Salah. However, he can definitely be put on the correct track with more performances like today.
The victory at Elland Road will strengthen the conviction that Spurs are headed for another Champions League campaign under Frank, this time by finishing in the top four.
The Spurs manager will obviously try to strengthen his team rather than weaken it if they qualify again.
A source claims that Antoine Semenyo, a player they were frequently connected to last summer, is still very much in their sights.
Spurs are now aware of the astronomical cost they would incur in order to convince the Bees to cash in, though.
Conor Gallagher may be amenable to returning to London, according to a Spurs insider, who speculates that he may be “fed up with learning Spanish.”
Rodrigo Bentancur is expected to receive a huge new contract to prolong their time in north London, therefore TEAMtalk can disclose the next major star.
