West Ham sign Max Kilman in £40m deal

West Ham United have completed the signing of Wolverhampton Wanderers captain Max Kilman in a £40m deal.

West Ham have officially completed the signing of Wolves captain, Max Kilman, for a reported £40m fee. This deal will see Kilman commit to a seven-year deal for the East London club, becoming Julen Lopetegui’s third signing during his tenure at the club thus far.

Kilman will join both Luís Guilherme and Wes Foderingham as the Hammers’ new summer additions, bolstering the defence and bringing a sense of leadership to Lopetegui’s squad.

Whether or not Kilman could be made captain is to be seen, though it is important to note that Lopetegui appointed Kilman as Wolves captain during his 9-month stint in the West Midlands.

As a result of this transfer, non-league club Maidenhead United, managed by ex-Hammer Alan Devonshire, are expected to receive a hefty fee due to their sell-on clause for Kilman.

Maidenhead sold Kilman to Wolves for a £40,000 fee back in 2018 and are expected to receive anywhere between £4m-£8m due to the defenders’ move to West Ham – a fantastic bit of business from Devonshire’s side.

• An amazing feeling”

Kilman has already made comments over his move to the club on West Ham‘s official page, stating that, “It’s an amazing feeling to be a West Ham United player.

“As soon as I was aware of the interest from the Club, it was an opportunity I was keen to pursue, so I couldn’t be more delighted to be here.”

“I really enjoyed working with Julen during his time at Wolves – he’s a top-class coach and someone I learned a lot from, and I am confident I will continue to improve as a player under his management here.”, he added.

It was announced months ago that Lopetegui would primarily look to strengthen the defence, already taking action with the signing of his formerly-appointed captain. Another player the Hammers are reportedly interested in is Southamptons’ Ky

• The impact of Tim Steidten

The impact of West Ham‘s Technical Director, Tim Steidten, has been incredible for the club during his year-long tenure.

His ability to get deals done swiftly and negotiate effectively is largely the reason why West Ham signed Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez last summer, with both players having held interest from European giants like Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund.

Whilst Kilman may not have been sought out by Europe’s elite, the speed at which this deal concluded has been a stunning change of pace from what West Ham fans are used to. Three signings before Deadline Day would typically be seen as a stretch, yet here they are with three before August.

Speaking to West Ham‘s official website, Kilman noted the influence of Steidten on getting the deal over the line and explained that he was encouraged by the clubs’ ambition.