West Ham have issued an exciting response to big claims about Max Kilman and Mo Kudus in an exclusive Hammers News update.
West Ham seem to mean business in the summer transfer window, in more ways than one.
Not only are the Hammers on the hunt for a raft of new signings as part of their major rebuild.
But West Ham are not going to be anyone’s fool either when it comes to interest in their stars.
Hammers News explained in detail yesterday how West Ham’s transfer activity had burst back into life after a brief lull since signing Luis Guilherme.
With the Brazilian teen in the door, West Ham technical director Tim Steidten is now said to be on the hunt for another seven signings.
Guilherme has been compared to Hammers star Mohammed Kudus.
If media speculation is to be believed, West Ham’s star boy has been attracting interest this summer.
Saudis want Mo, Hammers want Max
That’s hardly surprising after a superb debut season in the Premier League.
Kudus is said to have an £85m release clause at West Ham. But it only becomes active next summer.
So anyone wanting to sign the Ghana attacker now would have to pay well in excess of that.
The arrival of Guilherme, given the comparisons to Kudus, was seen by some as a hint the latter could depart.
So when rumours of serious interest from Saudi Arabia emerged this week, it was a slight cause for concern in east London.
With West Ham’s attack bolstered, Julen Lopetegui and Steidten have turned their focus on new centre-backs.
Lopetegui wants to sell captain Kurt Zouma. He and Nayef Aguerd are expected to follow Angelo Ogbonna and Thilo Kehrer in leaving the club on a permanent basis.
Two centre-backs are being sought. And West Ham have been linked with a truckload.
Chief among the targets, though, is Wolves skipper Max Kilman.
Give Me Sport claimed last night that West Ham are about to submit a second offer for Kilman.
West Ham’s exciting response to Kilman and Kudus claims
It’s claimed the Hammers have seen a first bid of £25m rejected and will go back with an improved offer to get closer to Wolves £45m valuation.
Hammers News exclusively revealed recently that majority owner David Sullivan is willing to push the boat out to get a deal done for Kilman to please his new head coach, who managed him at Wolves.
Now West Ham have issued an exciting response to the big claims about mega transfers involving Kilman and Kudus.
With speculation swirling over the potential moves in and out of West Ham, Hammers News spoke to a key senior West Ham spokesman for an update.
And the top source did not disappoint.
The key London Stadium contact was bullish about Kudus while confirming the club has bids in for Kilman and a host of other stars.
“The Saudis can’t afford Kudus,” the source told Hammers News.
“Kilman is one of a number of players we are bidding for.”
While Wolves have Kilman tied down to a long-term contract, their manager Gary O’Neil recently admitted they will have to sell a star or two in order to make their own signings this summer.
Kilman can Max out earnings at West Ham
It has also emerged that Kilman earns “just” £50k per week at Molineux.
For context, West Ham are paying players as much as three times that amount, namely Lucas Paqueta.
Zouma is on £125k per week – so Kilman could likely more than double his wages if he wants to return to the city of his birth.
Kilman is one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League. At 27, he still has his best years ahead of him, is readymade captain material and ticks the homegrown box.
It’s also great to hear the club being bullish about Kudus. Although even if the Saudis did somehow make an offer that was too good to refuse, it’s unlikely Kudus would want to go there at this stage of his career.
He has designs on proving himself to be one of the top players in Europe and ultimately Champions League football down the line.