Kudus: Ajax manager Ten Hag assesses Ghana midfielder's big comeback

Ajax manager Erik ten Hag has expressed delight with the return to action of Ghana midfielder Mohammed Kudus after some time in the treatment room.

In his first Eredivisie game of the season, the 21-year-old capped a fine substitute outing with a goal as the Lancers beat Fortuna Sittard 5-0 in matchday five clash on Tuesday.

He had been on the sidelines since sustaining an injury during a pre-season fixture against Belgian fold Anderlecht in July.

"It's been a nightmare for the boy - getting to a new club and getting injured in the first minutes of the first Champions League match. It affected him all season," Ten Hag said, as reported by Tipsbladet.

"Then he started a new season in a good mood, and then he got another ugly injury in mid-July, and you are behind the others again. He is an introverted boy who quickly becomes isolated.

"We did everything we could to help him through it. To some extent he has succeeded, but fortunately he has also done a lot himself. However, it is an annoying process, so it was good that he scored."

Tuesday's game provided Kudus' second goal in four days, having scored on his action return as he featured for Ajax's U23 side in a second-tier match against Almere City on Saturday.

On Sunday, he returned to the matchday squad of the senior team for the first time this term but was an unused substitute in what ended in a 9-0 Eredivisie annihilation of Cambuur.

He would be hoping for another run in Saturday's league encounter with Groningen.

It has indeed been a frustrating time for Kudus at Ajax following his five-year move from Danish side Norsdjaelland last summer.

After a promising start at Johan Cruyff Stadium, the attacker suffered an injury on his Champions League in a game against Liverpool last October.

He resumed training in December and completed his injury comeback to club action in January but suffered another setback which sent him back to the sidelines until February.

On his return, he struggled for playing time, ultimately ending the 2019-20 league season with just 17 appearances involving eight starts but he did well to score four goals.