Liverpool legend, John Barnes has advised Mohammed Kudus to stay with Ajax continue to hone his talent.
The Ghanaian star has been on the list of two English clubs, Manchester United and Liverpool, despite having two more years on his current contract.
“I advise every player to learn their trade, to be disciplined and humble. To stay at their club for a long period of time – so they can do that [learn their trade],” but football is different now anyways, it has changed. And we see that all the time, where a footballer has one good season and is transferred,” Barnes told JoySports at a football clinic in Accra.
Barnes, 59, shot into fame when he signed for Watford in 1981, played for six seasons and won English football before he moved to join Liverpool in 1987.
At Liverpool, Barnes won the League Cup, FA Cup, FA Charity Shield and the Football League twice during his 10 years stay with the Reds.
However, Barnes admitted he did regret his decision not to have joined Manchester United when former boss Alex Ferguson came calling, but was glad to have made a name for himself with Liverpool.
“I use myself as an example; when I played, you had to show a level of consistency over a period of time, before you were transferred. Because of course when you are transferred, there’s going to be a lot of pressure on you, so unless you are able to show you can handle the pressure or do this [perform at a top level] over a period of time, and not five or six matches, I advise every player to learn their trade.”
Kudus’ contract expires in 2025 but it is uncertain if the former Right to Dream product will make a move from the Johan Cruyff Arena.
LSN/KPE
from L-R: Barnes and Kudus