Chelsea 'considering' ambitious Wolves raid as Enzo Maresca eyes West Ham fight

Wolves skipper Maximilian Kilman has been heavily linked with a transfer away from Molineux this summer as a host of Premier League clubs have been keeping tabs.

Chelsea, keen to bolster their central defensive depth under new manager Enzo Maresca, are the latest side to be linked. The Blues are set to complete the free signing of Tosin Adarabioyo from Fulham but they’re not done there.

Thiago Silva’s exit is claimed to be covered by Tosin’s arrival but Maresca is said to want another option. GIVEMESPORT reports Chelsea have identified Kilman as a potential target, while Sporting Lisbon wonderkid Ousmane Diomande is another on the shortlist.

Wolves are likely to take a strong stance when it comes to Kilman as he’s not only the club’s captain but also one of the best players. Funds do need to be raised if Gary O’Neil wants to make his own mark on the squad but that’s likelier to be from a big-name attacker, perhaps Pedro Neto.

Chelsea and West Ham to test Wolves’ resolve

Nonetheless, Chelsea are set to fight fellow London side West Ham United, who are also interested in Kilman. It was reported last week by The Guardian that new Hammers head coach Julen Lopetegui named Kilman as a target in a recruitment meeting, eyeing a reunion with his former colleague.

And so a battle of the managers could commence – Maresca vs Lopetegui in a duel to win over Wolves’ star centre-half. The rivalry between Chelsea and West Ham could spill over from the pitch to the transfer market, while Wanderers will have a tricky job in slaving away interest.

Kilman has played 151 times for Wolves since signing on a free transfer from Maidenhead United in 2018, scoring three and assisting three over that period. Rather crucially, the 27-year-old played every single minute of the 2023/24 Premier League season, proving his reliability throughout a campaign ravaged by injuries.