Wolves have now been warned that Manchester United could eye one of Gary O’Neil’s top talents this summer.
In his first season at Molineux, Gary O’Neil improved a host of elements surrounding the squad he inherited from Julen Lopetegui.
The Englishman was handed the responsibility of the side just days before the 2023/24 Premier League campaign kicked off, leaving the boss with no time to get to know his players.
In the summer there was some concern over Wolves’ stability in the Premier League due to financial concerns causing a lack of depth however, O’Neil defied the odds to steer his side to a 14th-place finish.
Now, the former Bournemouth manager will hope to paper over the cracks of this season by both signing and retaining top talent, with the matter of departures a looming subject at Molineux.
Wolves warned that Manchester United could target Max Kilman this summer
While Pedro Neto’s future has been speculated heavily ahead of the transfer window, club captain Max Kilman’s stance going into the summer has also been questioned.
Last week, it was suggested that Lopetegui could attempt to reunite with Kilman at West Ham however, fresh reports have claimed that the Hammers aren’t the only side to be linked with the defender.
Speaking on Ranks FC, transfer expert Dean Jones explained that the Englishman could ‘very quickly’ become a target for Manchester United.
“If they [Man Utd] can’t sign Jarrad Branthwaite they will move on from it very quickly I believe.
“The two other defensive targets in the Premier League they would look at are Marc Guehi at Crystal Palace and Max Kilman at Wolves, the same price point £50-60m.”
Last month, the Red Devils were linked with a move for Kilman as well as reportedly being interested in Joao Gomes, with the summer set to present O’Neil with many key decisions to make.
£60m for Max Kilman could tempt Wolves
While the 27-year-old is loved by O’Neil, as seen by the manager playing the centre-back for every minute of the 2023/24 campaign, a fair price for the defender could tempt the Old Gold to part ways.
It’s important to note that the Midlands club paid just £40,000 for Kilman back in 2018, meaning that a significant fee would be an almost total profit for the club, who could use such funds to rebuild O’Neil’s small squad.
Added to that, the captain has been far from at the desired level in recent weeks, being described as a player who has ‘struggled’ to keep things tidy at the back for Wolves.
A fee as high as £60m could see the club part ways with the defender who is important to O’Neil’s side but can’t be considered irreplaceable based on his 2023/24 performances.