The Ghana international, who has been linked to Al Ittihad following an impressive debut season in the Premier League, reportedly has an £85 million release clause that will be activated next summer.

Saudi clubs, known for their significant spending power and lucrative player contracts, would likely have the financial means to pursue such a move.

However, according to a report by GIVESPORTS, the Hammers are not prepared to approve the sale of the 23-year-old attacker at this time.

The report indicates that new West Ham coach Julen Lopetegui views the former Ajax star as a crucial member of his squad, essential for the team he aims to build.

In his first season with the London-based club, Mohammed Kudus scored 14 goals. Besides the interest from Saudi clubs, Liverpool remains keen on the former FC Nordsjaelland player.

Mohammed Kudus recently played a pivotal role in Ghana’s back-to-back victories against Mali and the Central African Republic in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Kudus, who had a successful debut season at the London Stadium with 14 goals after joining from Ajax a year ago, has attracted interest from several quarters. West Ham, under new manager Julen Lopetegui, are eager to retain the 23-year-old Ghanaian international.

However, according to ESPN, Al Ittihad, known for their star-studded squad including Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kanté, are keen on securing Kudus’s services. Interest is also reportedly coming from various Premier League clubs and across Europe.

If the transfer materializes, Kudus stands to earn a significant salary of $300,000 per week in Saudi Arabia.

Recently, Kudus featured prominently for Ghana in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, helping the Black Stars secure victories against Mali (2-1) and Central African Republic (4-3).

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was on target in either half at Al Awal Park, moving to 35 goals across the 2023-24 league campaign in Saudi Arabia.

Ronaldo opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time after receiving a long ball from Mohammed Al-Fatil, before doubling his tally – and Al-Nassr’s lead – with a header from Marcelo Brozovic’s corner.

That second finish after Suwailem Al Manhali was dismissed for the visitors saw Ronaldo eclipse Abderrazak Hamdallah’s 34-goal tally – in the 2018-19 season – for the most strikes in a single campaign.

Abdulrahman Ghareeb then added another from the penalty spot before Meshari Al Nemer made sure of three points after late goals from Farhah Al Shamrani and Fabinho had pulled Al-Ittihad back into contention.

Having already been unable to stop Al-Hilal secure the title, Al-Nassr finish second in the table – ending on 82 points after 26 wins from the 34-match campaign.

The Saudi side, managed by former Wolves and Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo and featuring star players N’Golo Kante and Fabinho, were opposed to a statue of an assassinated Iranian general being placed at the entrance to the pitch.

About 60,000 fans were in the Naghsh-e Jahn Stadium in Isfahan, Iran, at the time awaiting kick-off.

Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia mean that matches between clubs from the two nations had previously been played on neutral territory since 2016 due to security concerns.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said the game had been “cancelled due to unanticipated and unforeseen circumstances”.

“The AFC reiterates its commitment towards ensuring the safety and security of the players, match officials, spectators, and all stakeholders involved,” the body said in a statement.

“This matter will now be referred to the relevant committees.”

The statue was of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani. He was killed near Baghdad airport in a United States drone strike in January 2020.

Saudi Arabia designated Soleimani and other senior commanders of the Quds Force, the overseas operations arm of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, as terrorists in 2018.

The Saudis held Soleimani responsible for Iran’s regional activities and accused them of attacks on Gulf shipping, on Saudi oil installations and of support for Houthi rebels in Yemen who have attacked Saudi cities. Iran denied this.

This season has seen the return of Saudi clubs to Iran for the first time since 2016, when a group of hardline Iranian militiamen called the Basij – part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran.

After that, teams from Saudi Arabia refused to travel to Iran for any international sports competition, saying their security was not guaranteed.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr were the first Saudi side to play in Iran this season when they beat Persepolis last month in an Asian Champions League match.

The bid for the 31-year-old was for in excess of £100m, with add-ons taking it up to £150m.

Liverpool remain insistent the Egypt international is not for sale, and that is final as far as the club are concerned.

Salah, who joined the Reds from Italian side Roma in 2017, signed a new three-year contract last summer.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said last week that Salah was “100% committed” to the Anfield cause, and on Friday he reiterated the club’s stance that the player was not for sale.

“The position remains the same. Absolutely no doubt about that. That’s how it is. Nothing else to say,” said Klopp.

The player’s agent has previously dismissed talk of a move to Saudi Arabia but has not responded following the latest links with Al-Ittihad.

“Mohamed remains committed to Liverpool,” agent Ramy Abbas Issa wrote in a social media post on 7 August.

“If we considered leaving Liverpool this year, we wouldn’t have renewed the contract last summer.”

Salah has started all three of Liverpool’s games this season, with Klopp’s side having accumulated seven points following a draw with Chelsea and wins against Bournemouth and Newcastle United.

He set up Luis Diaz to score at Chelsea but showed frustration at being substituted in the draw before knocking in the rebound from his saved penalty in the win against Bournemouth.

Salah had the assist for Darwin Nunez’s winner at Newcastle, with Liverpool getting the three points despite being down to 10 men for most of the match.

A key player for the Merseysiders, Salah has won the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Fifa Club World Cup and Uefa Super Cup during his time at Anfield.

He has also won or shared three Premier League Golden Boots and been named the PFA Player of the Year twice.

The 29-year-old did not travel with the Reds to a recent training camp in Germany after the Saudi side made a £40m bid for him.

Fabinho was also left out of the club’s current trip to Singapore as the move was finalised.

Capped 29 times by his country, he joined Liverpool in July 2018 from Monaco for a fee in the region of £39m.

Fabinho said he was leaving his “home” after representing Liverpool “with the greatest honour and happiness possible” for five years.

He added: “I say this with a heart full of joy: I love this club. Thank you, Reds, for everything we’ve experienced together.”

Fabinho is Al-Ittihad’s latest high-profile signing this summer as part of a widespread influx of players into the Saudi Pro League.

Ballon d’Or winner and former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, former Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante and ex-Celtic forward Jota have all joined the club managed by ex-Wolves and Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

Al-Ittihad said Fabinho’s signing is part of their effort to “reinforce the team with outstanding players, who will support their journey in the upcoming phase, which includes multiple domestic and international competitions”.

Fabinho made 219 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 11 goals.

During his time with the Reds, he helped the club win the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup and the Fifa Club World Cup.

“We would like to thank Fabinho for all of his contributions to the club’s successes during the last five years,” said Liverpool.

Fellow midfielder Jordan Henderson has also left the Merseyside club to move to Saudi Arabia, with the England international joining Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq.

Liverpool have now lost five midfielders on a permanent basis this summer, with James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita also departing after their contracts expired.

Centre-back Virgil van Dijk has, meanwhile, replaced Henderson as Liverpool captain, with defender Trent Alexander-Arnold taking over as vice-captain from Milner.

The 32-year-old’s contract at Stamford Bridge expires at the end of June.

Kante has struggled with injuries and made nine appearances for Chelsea during the 2022-23 campaign.

He will join Karim Benzema at Al-Ittihad after his fellow Frenchman left Real Madrid and agreed a three-year deal with them this month.

The move brings to an end a highly successful period in English football for Kante.

He helped Leicester City win the Premier League in the 2015-16 season before moving to Stamford Bridge. At Chelsea Kante won the Champions League, Premier League, Europa League and FA Cup.

He was named the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year and the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year for 2016-17.

He also played a key role as France won the World Cup in 2018.

Kante has signed a three-year contract with the club worth a reported £86m.

Kante joins Benzema and five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia.

Several high-profile players have been linked with a move to one of Saudi Arabia’s top sides.

But on Tuesday Spurs forward Son Heung-min said he did not want to move to the country, and earlier this month Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami, turning down a more lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia.

The France international, whose contract at Chelsea expires this month, has agreed a deal to 2025 worth €100m (£86m) a season with an option for a further year.

Al-Ittihad signed Karim Benzema from Real Madrid on Tuesday and are one of four Saudi clubs in which the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns 80% of Newcastle United, acquired 75% stakes this week. Al-Ittihad sent a delegation to London to speak to Kanté on Tuesday and persuaded him to join.

Kanté was close to signing a contract extension with Chelsea this year but the deal was not finalised. The 32-year-old has struggled with injuries and made nine appearances this season.

The money being paid to Kanté includes image rights, commercial deals and an investment portfolio. It is about half the salary earned by Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Al-Nassr last December.

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French striker Benzema, 35, won 25 trophies – including five Champions Leagues and four La Ligas – in 14 years with Madrid but they agreed to let him leave his contract a year early.

He scored 354 goals for Real, second only to Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo, who hit 450 Real goals, plays for another Saudi club, Al-Nassr.

“It’s a good league and there are many good players,” said Benzema. “Cristiano Ronaldo is already there, a friend which shows Saudi Arabia is starting to further progress its level. I am here to win, like I did in Europe.

“I have been fortunate to achieve amazing things in my career and achieve everything I can in Spain and Europe. It now feels the time is right for a new challenge and project.”

Al-Ittihad are managed by former Wolves and Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

Benzema played 648 times for Real after his 2009 move from Lyon and scored with his last touch for the club, netting a penalty in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao before being replaced.

On Monday it was announced Al-Ittihad were one of four leading Saudi Arabian clubs to be taken over by the country’s Public Investment Fund, which also owns Newcastle United.

Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr are another, and so are Al-Hilal, who have been strongly linked to Paris St-Germain’s Lionel Messi this summer.