Manchester United fans could not hide their excitement after Mohammed Kudus was left out of Ajax's squad to take on NEC in the Eredivisie on Sunday.
Alfred Schreuder's side were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw away to 9th placed NEC on Sunday afternoon. Davy Klaassen opened the scoring for Ajax in the first-half, only for Landry Dimata to level the scores and snatch a point for the home side.
The result is the fourth time in successive matches that Ajax have dropped points, drawing three times and losing once. Erik ten Hag's former side now find themselves three points behind league leaders Feyenoord with both teams having played 15 games each.
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Kudus' absence was sorely missed during the game, as the Dutch side desperately needed the attacking threat of the 22-year-old - who it later emerged had been omitted from the matchday squad due to illness - to help them find a winning goal. The Ghana international has scored four times and provided two assists during his six Champions League appearances season, also finding the back of the net five times in 14 league outings this term.
Kudus is a versatile forward that can play in multiple positions both in midfield and up front. "I still feel that I can do my best in the number 10 position," Kudus told Der Telegraaf earlier this season. "I play as number nine for the team." His versatility would no doubt greatly appeal to Ten Hag, as reports linking United with a move for their third Ajax player since their new manager took over continue to surface.
Although it was later clarified that Kudus was absent from Ajax's matchday squad due to illness, fans could not help but get ever-so-slightly carried away, as they saw the Eredivisie star's omission as a clear sign he could be on the move with the January transfer window well underway.
Here's what some of them had to say on social media:
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