Renowned Dutch football icon Marco van Basten has expressed his admiration for the remarkable performances of young Ajax prodigy Mohammed Kudus, who is reportedly being scouted by Manchester United.

Van Basten considers Kudus to be an exceptionally talented footballer, who surpasses former Ajax colleague Antony, signed by the Red Devils for a staggering sum of £86 million in the summer, but has only managed three Premier League goals and zero assists so far.

While Ajax's former coach Alfred Schreuder was hesitant in giving Kudus a significant role in the team, he has been starting regularly ever since John Heitinga took over at the end of last month, earning a flurry of acclamation for his impressive displays on the pitch. He recently scored in Ajax's 4-0 win over Sparta Rotterdam, and has already produced 16 goal contributions in 27 appearances in the Eredivisie and Champions League this season.

Van Basten reckons Kudus is an astute footballer, highly skilled and more accomplished than Antony. The latter is believed to be confused about his actions, whereas Kudus is far more technically adept and tactically proficient. He has impressed with his versatility, making him a valuable asset to any team, and is enjoyable to watch on the pitch.

“I find Mohammed Kudus a much better football player than Antony,’ Van Basten said on Ziggo Sport on Monday evening.

“Antony has his skills, but he is confused with the things he is trying to do!

“Kudus has much better technique and he knows what he is doing. Antony may be faster, but Kudus is smarter and more technical. He is much more of a footballer, you can place him anywhere on the pitch, an all-rounder for the team.”

He added: “In fact, I like him much better than Antony. He’s more fun to watch play.”

As per the reports, Kudus is a top priority on Erik ten Hag's list for the upcoming summer transfer window, and Manchester United is rumored to be interested in securing the young Ghanaian's signature. Kudus had an exceptional World Cup outing, scoring twice for Ghana.

Antony, on the other hand, has not been able to make much of an impact since his arrival at Old Trafford, raising questions about whether the Red Devils overpaid for him.