Mohammed Kudus set for fiery reception and brutal two-word chant from West Ham fans as he returns with rivals Spurs

WORDS from Mohammed Kudus’ mouth claimed it will be “nice” for him to return to former club West Ham.

But his body language and the pregnant ‘erm’ that came before that statement hinted the Ghanaian’s true feelings may be quite different.

You can hardly blame him if he is feeling anxious about going back to the London Stadium, where taunts of ‘Mohammed Judas’ are likely to be aimed in his direction.

The winger this summer became the first player since Scott Parker in 2011 to swap the Irons for Spurs, in a £55million switch.

Asked about his upcoming return to West Ham, a hesitant Kudus eventually said: “It will be nice to go back. But for me, it will be another game in the Premier League.

“It will be the same approach. But I’m looking forward to seeing my old team-mates.”

Just another Prem game is unlikely to be his experience at the stadium that he used to call home.

West Ham signed Kudus towards the end of the summer window of 2023 for around £38m from Ajax.

He was electric in his first campaign, regularly breaking out his goal celebration of sitting on the advertising hoardings to take a breather, having netted 14 times.

But things soured the following season, particularly under David Moyes’ successor Julen Lopetegui.

Kudus and Lopetegui rowed at Brentford when the Hammers were trailing in September 2024 and four months later, the Spaniard was sacked.

And though Kudus played regularly under Graham Potter, his performances were not at the same level and so the club became open to offers.

Potter needed to raise cash for his own rebuild. And asked yesterday, the Hammers boss said:  “Sometimes players indicate that it’s time for a new challenge.

“And we’re at the stage where you want players that are fully committed to West Ham that want to be here.

“Once that’s the position [the player wants a new challenge], you have to try and get the best deal you can and hopefully grow the team and improve the squad.”

And talented Kudus, 25, was deemed expendable because he favours the right wing, where captain Jarrod Bowen plays.

That opened the door to a transfer which had seemingly been off-limits for a good 14 years.

West Ham had declared publicly they would no longer sell to their rivals from North London two years BEFORE flogging Parker.

Then Irons chief executive Scott Duxbury said as much amid Spurs’ interest in Craig Bellamy, who ended up going to Manchester City.

Duxbury claimed at the time: “I made it clear to Craig there wasn’t any possibility of him joining Tottenham. There is a change of philosophy at this club.

“There is a massive rivalry between us and Spurs. Why should we sell any player who would strengthen their team? It makes no sense.”

However, Duxbury left a year later and that new policy was broken a year after that with Parker’s exit.

Recently departed Spurs chairman Daniel Levy blocked Emmanuel Adebayor from going to West Ham four years later and, ever since, there has been an unofficial embargo between the clubs — until now.

Kudus seems to be loving life under new Tottenham boss Thomas Frank.

The enjoyment factor is likely to be in short supply tomorrow after taking the road less travelled from East to North London.