Mohammed Kudus has claimed Neymar is not better than him and opened up on why he was interested in a move to Everton during the summer.
Kudus was wanted by the Blues in the closing weeks of the window, with one report at the time suggesting that a loan had been agreed. However, no deal ever fully materialised, despite rumours in the Netherlands suggesting the 22-year-old was refusing to train in order to force through a transfer to Goodison Park.
At the time it was claimed that the Dutch champions were insistent that they didn’t lose any more players after a summer of considerable outgoings. The saga is seemingly all forgotten now as he has had a positive start to the new season with 10 goals in 21 appearances in all competitions.
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Kudus was on the scoresheet as Ajax were beaten by Liverpool in the Champions League at Anfield back in September. His name has been mentioned as one who Everton might target again in January, but speaking recently, the forward ruled out a move away from Ajax during the January transfer window.
“No, I don’t think so. I don’t think so,” he told Dutch publication Algemeen Dagblad when asked whether he will look to leave the Johan Cruijff ArenA.
Kudus is currently in Qatar preparing for the start of Ghana’s World Cup campaign. He could end up facing Neymar in the knockout rounds, just months after the two clashed when Brazil beat Ghana in a friendly in Le Havre.
“He’s not better than me. He’s just a higher profile player, that’s all,” he told the Guardian. “He was defending his country and I was defending mine. I wasn’t about to let him push me around.
"What makes him better, for now, is that he has achieved a lot. I’ll get there soon. We could meet again, yeah? Me and Neymar, part two. I’m sure he would enjoy it.”
Before he added on a possible move to Everton in the summer, saying: “I thought [Everton] was a good project for me and why not?
“It’s not like it’s my first season at Ajax, it’s my third. So, if I’m not seeing the progress I’m looking for then why not try something else?”
However, in the hours that followed the release of the interview, Kudus took to Twitter to complain about the way his comments about Neymar had presented.
He wrote: "My Family & Culture raised me to respect the elderly. @neymarjr like @Thiago6 & many legends inspired us to dream. Just like @neymarjr I humbly want to inspire the next generation like they did. @guardian_sport whats the agenda ? Al focus on tomorrow. FAKE NEWS!!!!!!"
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