West Ham have had to fend off a “late” bid from a rival Premier League club in order to secure the services of Ajax forward Mohammed Kudus, according to Sky Sports.

The Hammers are reportedly in the final stages of wrapping up a deal for the Ghanaian international, having agreed an initial £35.5m fee, with £2.5m in add-ons.

It is believed Kudus was the subject of an approach from another English team but Sky claim that the player has snubbed the interest as he now “wants to go to West Ham”.

Arsenal and Chelsea have both been heavily linked with the 22-year-old this summer, with the latter even making a formal enquiry last month.

Neither team have, though, shown the same desire as West Ham to get the deal over the line. Ajax will play Ludogorets in the Europa League on Thursday evening. If Kudus doesn’t feature, it is a fair indication that his move to the London Stadium is imminent.

What are West Ham’s plans for Kudus?

Manager David Moyes is keen to bring in another forward after losing Gianluca Scamacca to Atalanta, and it appears that Kudus is the player he has identified as a replacement.

The Ghanaian can, however, play in a number of positions. He can also be deployed as a support striker or on the right wing.

How have West Ham won the race for his signature?

If Kudus does put pen to paper on a contract, it would be a big coup for the London club, considering the interest that was being shown in him from other teams.

However, it is likely that Moyes has given the forward guarantees about his game time. While he would have been a squad player at other clubs, he could end up being a regular starter for the Hammers.