Wolves have rejected a bid for defender Max Kilman as Fabrizio Romano provides a fresh update on the Englishman’s future.
When the transfer window opened, Wolves were expecting to see mass interest in left wing-back Rayan Ait-Nouri and winger Pedro Neto.
That hasn’t been the case, and currently Manchester United and Arsenal are chasing a move for Matheus Cunha while multiple clubs are queuing up to sign Max Kilman.
Wolves are expecting a bidding war for their captain, who played every single minute in the Premier League last term.
Manchester United were said to be calling for the 27-year-old but it’s West Ham who have launched an opening bid for the player.
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Fabrizio Romano has claimed Kilman is ‘strongly wanted’ by West Ham as talks are ongoing between the club and the player.
A further report by the Telegraph has revealed that the Hammers have seen a £25 million bid for Kilman rejected as they seek to improve their defence under Julen Lopetegui.
The Spaniard named Kilman as his captain during his spell at Molineux and is very keen to take him to the London Stadium, although their opening offer falls well short of the Wanderers valuation.
Wolves reportedly value their star defender at £45 million and that is a reasonable price considering they rejected a £30 million bid from Italian giants Napoli last summer.
It appears the Hammers are testing the waters with an opening bid for Kilman, though it has been rejected by the club, with O’Neil remaining firm in his stance to keep the centre-back.
Whilst Wolves do not want to lose the Englishman, the club are aware that a major sale this summer would allow O’Neil more room to manoeuvre in the market.
Wolves should consider selling Max Kilman for bids over £30 million
Wolves are in a strong position when it comes to negotiating their asking price for Kilman.
The “outstanding” defender doesn’t see his contract expire till 2028 so they are in no rush to sell, although they should consider accepting any bids that go over £30 million.
It was evident how much Wolves crumbled when Craig Dawson was missing from the back three for the final 11 games and captain Kilman should have been able to help prevent the landslide of goals they conceded.
O’Neil’s men shipped 20 goals during the absence of Dawson as his presence in the defence was sorely felt and it led many to wonder how important Kilman is to Wolves.
There are arguably better options out there in the market such as Hull City’s Jacob Greaves or Porto’s David Carmo, who look to be available for a fraction of the price.
In short, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if Wolves offloaded the defender for just over £30 million, as opposed to holding out for a pretty steep £45m.