Former Ghana international Godwin Attram has urged national team stars Mohammed Kudus and Antoine Semenyo to think twice before making a move to the Middle East, following reports linking both players with a big-money switch to Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr.
Al Nassr Ready to Spend Big
It has been widely reported that Al Nassr are preparing a €100 million bid for West Ham midfielder Kudus, who is currently valued at €50 million on Transfermarkt. The 24-year-old has scored four Premier League goals this season and remains one of Ghana’s most exciting exports.
Meanwhile, Antoine Semenyo, currently starring for Bournemouth, is also on Al Nassr’s radar. The 24-year-old forward is valued at €35 million, and is seen as a major target ahead of what could be a busy summer transfer window for the Saudi outfit.
“They Will Kick You Out” – Attram’s Middle East Warning
Attram, who earned caps for the Black Stars between 1997 and 2006, has extensive first-hand experience playing in the Middle East. His career included stints with clubs such as Al-Shabab, Al-Hazem, Al-Shaab, Hatta Club, and Hajer.
In an exclusive interview with Africa Foot, he offered a frank assessment of life in Middle Eastern football.
“It’s very tough in the Middle East. Whatever you are seeing in Europe is different from the Middle East.
Whenever you are there [Middle East] and you are not doing well, they won’t sit down and watch, they will kick you out,” Godwin Attram said.
Related article: Striking Success: Mohammed Kudus’s Meteoric Rise in Salary
Still Time to Thrive in Europe
Attram also urged Kudus and Semenyo to carefully weigh their options, suggesting they are both still at their peak and have several productive years ahead in Europe.
“It’s a career that you have to look at certain things. It’s not that easy in everywhere that you go. Decision making in football can support your career and can also bring you down. I believe that they have managers and handlers who are advising them very well. Saudi Arabia is a place you can end your career and earn money. They [Kudus and Semenyo] are young and can still play for three or four years in Europe so they can still go on playing there and move to the Middle East after.”
Both Players in Strong Form
Semenyo is enjoying a standout campaign and recently surpassed Michael Essien to become the fifth-highest-scoring Ghanaian in Premier League history, with 18 goals, after netting in Bournemouth’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Sunday.
Related Article: Semenyo Shines in England: Salary and Prospects of the Young Ghanaian Winger
Kudus, meanwhile, scored his first goal of 2025 in West Ham’s 3-2 loss to Brighton, and both players were also on target during the March international break—Semenyo scoring against Chad, and Kudus finding the net in a 3-0 victory over Madagascar.
