Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol has singled out Mohammed Kudus as the toughest opponent he faced during his debut Premier League season.
The Ghanaian, who joined West Ham from Ajax in the summer of 2023, had a standout first season in the league, contributing 14 goals (8 goals and 6 assists) in 33 appearances. He also led the league in dribbles, an impressive stat.
Gvardiol, who also debuted in the Premier League during the 2023/24 season and won the league title with Manchester City, shared his experience of facing Kudus in an interview.
Kudus scored a spectacular goal when West Ham faced Manchester City on the final day. Gvardiol was very close to the action.
"If we talk about a player, then I would like to say last season was Kudus. I remember the first game he was on the bench so he came in for the last fifteen or twenty minutes, he was playing my side so I already was like aah! he’s good; he looks sharp and he’s good on the ball," Gvardiol said.
"In the second game of the season, he even scored a bicycle kick. He was the one I struggled the most to play against," he added.
The Croatian centre-back also expressed confidence in Kudus’s potential for the current season.
"I think he is the one who deserves attention, and I believe this season he’s going to come out and show his quality,” Gvardiol stated.
