Maximilian Kilman’s six years at Molineux have come to an end, with the defender joining fellow Premier League side West Ham United on a permanent deal.
The move comes after a hugely successful period in gold and black for the 27-year-old, who joined Wolves in the summer of 2018, initially playing within the academy, having displayed enticing potential in non-league.
Signed for a minimal fee from Maidenhead United following Wolves’ promotion to the Premier League, Kilman had a year of bedding in at Molineux, where he featured regularly for Rob Edwards’ under-23 side.
During the 2018/19 season, Kilman was part of a team of captains for the under-23s – in which the side were promoted to the highest tier of youth football – while also training with the first-team under former head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, and he has since developed into an established Premier League centre-back.
Having played a part in Wolves’ run to the Europa League quarter-finals with his performances in the group stage wins over Slovan Bratislava and Besiktas, Kilman’s time on the pitch and influence in the dressing room increased with each passing season.
The defender missed just one Premier League game during 2022/23, a campaign which also saw Kilman occasionally take on captaincy responsibilities as a stand-in for Ruben Neves, before being promoted to permanent skipper upon the Portuguese’s departure last summer.
In his only season wearing the armband for the Old Gold, Kilman became one of just two outfield players to feature in every single minute of Premier League football for their clubs, providing an outstanding level of consistency to Gary O’Neil’s defence.
While wearing gold and black, Kilman embedded himself into the club on and off the pitch, as he married his leadership of the dressing room with serving as an ambassador for Wolves Foundation.
But now, following a six-year spell which has taken Kilman from an academy prospect to club captain, he leaves Molineux for a fresh challenge at the London Stadium.
Sporting director Matt Hobbs said: “It’s bittersweet for me, having brought Max in, but it feels like a deal which works for everybody. We’re getting a good fee and unbelievable return on investment, West Ham are getting a homegrown left-sided centre back and it’s a good story for Maidenhead. While it was tough, it also allows Max to get closer to his family in London.
“He’s unbelievably laid back and has always been a man of few words. He had a tough couple of years personally, but the way he handled it and didn’t let it affect him leaves you slightly in awe. He’s someone you can’t help but root for. I don’t know anyone at the club who would have a negative word about him. Maybe people will realise what he did on the pitch more now he’s left than when he was here.
“It’s one we talked about a lot. It felt like the right thing for everybody. It enables us to look at the market and enables someone else to become a leader. When you lose anybody, it allows other people to become leaders, and that’s any team in the world. We have Yerson coming back, Santi is still relatively new and Toti is developing.
“It could be that someone here steps up or we go into the market with these funds. It’s exciting what we can do, and we’d be looking to bring someone in who move us forward. Although it’s tough, it creates opportunities and that’s always exciting.”
