Wolves players past and present have taken to social media after Max Kilman was officially unveiled as West Ham’s new signing.
Wolves have made their first major sale of the summer transfer window after offloading Max Kilman to West Ham.
The 27-year-old underwent his medical on Thursday ahead of a proposed £40 million move to East London, with the Hammers officially announcing the capture of Kilman on Saturday morning.
Signing a whopping seven-year contract at the London Stadium, the talented defender departed Molineux after six campaigns, where he made 151 appearances for the club.
Kilman was ever-present for Gary O’Neil last term, as only he and Arsenal’s William Saliba played every single minute as an outfield player in the Premier League.
Wolves underscored his importance by slapping a £45 million price tag on his head as several top-flight clubs showed an interest in the Wanderers captain.
West Ham won the race for his signature, and many players have now reacted to his farewell message on Instagram.
Conor Coady and Wolves players react to Max Kilman’s goodbye message
It’s been some journey for Kilman over the last six years. Signed from Maidenhead United for £40,000 to now becoming one of the most sought-after defenders in the Premier League, the Englishman’s rise has been astonishing.
He’s honoured the great times in Wolverhampton by penning an ‘incredible’ message to supporters on Instagram, stating how grateful he is for everyone who has helped him get to this point.
The message read: “6 incredible years at this club. I came here as a boy from non-league and this club has made me a man. I have given everything and left nothing behind.
“I will forever be grateful and would like to thank everyone associated with Wolves. I would like to thank all my team-mates, staff and supporters for all your help and support through the good and tough times. I have met some truly incredible people over the years that make this club so special.
“Thank you @wolves ❤️🐺”
Unsurprisingly, floods of responses came in from teammates past and present, including from the player he replaced as captain, Conor Coady. The Leicester defender wrote: “Good luck my brother ❤️🐺”.
Referencing his role as captain, current midfielder Tommy Doyle said: “Skip! Good luck my brother 🤍”. While Toti Gomes, an individual he played alongside in defence last term, posted an almost identical message: “Good luck my brother ❤️💪🏾”.
Wolves playmaker Pablo Sarabia also left a comment, saying: “All the best my friend”. Whereas, former fan favourite Romain Saiss said: “All the best maxi 🫶🏽.”
Selling Max Kilman was the correct decision
O’Neil previously praised Kilman for how he’s developed as a captain and a player during his time at the club while Andy Thompson believes he’s one of the best one-on-one defenders in the Premier League.
It’s clear that Kilman’s importance to Wolves was high but selling him for £40 million was non-negotiable, and there are several reasons why.
The Wanderers have shortlisted four players to replace their captain, including Hull City’s Jacob Greaves, Borussia Monchengladbach ace Nico Elvedi, Feyenoord’s Thomas Beelen and Porto’s David Carmo.
The above players would all cost significantly less than what Kilman was sold for and could present an upgrade on him. For instance, Hull defender Greaves could cost in the region of £15-20m, but the ceiling of his potential is much higher.
Moreover, O’Neil could already have a ready-made replacement for the Englishman by throwing Yerson Mosquera into the first team. The 23-year-old flourished on loan at Villarreal last term, and could now be the heir to Kilman’s throne at Molineux.
In conclusion, selling Kilman isn’t the end of the world and to land a mega profit on the £40,000 they paid six years ago is incredible business from the club.