£17m star rejects Qatar offer in big summer boost for Graham Potter’s West Ham

As the Saudi Arabian petrodollars are fanned in front of Mohammed Kudus’ face, the West Ham United forward faces up to the biggest test yet of his footballing ambitions.

With Al-Nassr keen to bring Kudus to the Middle East, will the Ghana international disappear off into relative obscurity at the age of 24? Will he become a footnote in the European game, a la former Wolves captain Ruben Neves or one-time La Liga sensation Gabri Veiga?

Or, after West Ham inserted a £125 million release clause for Saudi Arabian clubs into his contract, will Mohammed Kudus instead choose footballing prominence over the sort of weekly wage that would have even Elon Musk nodding in approval?

But as reported West Ham United target Kevin Lomonaco proves, it is possible to resist the so-called ‘generational wealth’ on offer all those thousands of miles away.

Kevin Lomonaco snubs Qatar in West Ham United boost

By his own admission, Kevin Lomonaco is an admirer of West Ham. The Independiente defender is in line for a summer switch to English football – Lomonaco has a £17 million release clause in his contract – and he has already given the Hammers plenty of encouragement in a battle also containing Crystal Palace, Borussia Dortmund and a handful of Serie A outfits.

According to Argentine reporter Uriel Lugt, meanwhile, Lomonaco’s determination to leave South America for Europe even overrides the temptation of a bank-balance boosting departure to the Qatar Stars League.

Al-Duhail, Lugt says, saw their offer rejected by the player even before Independiente had the chance to respond.

“Al-Duhail approached Kevin Lomonaco with a new offer,” he writes. “The defender rejected it, since his intention is to go to Europe. The proposal did not reach Independiente. The Qatari club were willing to pay the release clause of 20 million euros.