West Ham forward Mohammed Kudus is not being actively pursued by any club at the moment, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Fellow reporter David Ornstein mentioned Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United as potential suitors last week when he revealed the existence of a release clause in the Ghanaian international’s contract. Writing in his Daily Briefing column, Romano acknowledged the possible existence of the buyout fee but he was keen to emphasise that no teams are ready to make a bid for the player:

“There is no indication about clubs being in the race to sign Mohammed Kudus yet, it’s still early but some sources confirm there might be a release clause into his contract – even if West Ham sources are keeping it quiet and confidential at the moment.”

Kudus only joined the Hammers from Ajax for £38m last summer and he has had an impressive first season at the London Stadium, having scored 13 goals in 43 appearances.

Kudus has earned praise for how quickly he has settled in the Premier League

Speaking about the forward’s performances last month, manager David Moyes said that the summer signing has quickly adapted to the demands of English football:

“He has been important for us all season. He will be important for us going forward in the future as well. He is a young boy who has just come into the Premier League and has settled in incredibly well.”

How long can West Ham keep hold of Kudus?

The release clause does mean that the player has a lot of control over his future. If a team decides to trigger it this summer or in an upcoming transfer window, there is not a lot that the Irons can do about it.

However, a lot depends on the size of the fee needed to trigger it. Considering how much Kudus cost West Ham in the first place, you can’t see him being sold for a low price.