West Ham 'bid' for Wolves star as Man Utd consider £45m approach

Wolves have a big decision to make as West Ham have reportedly lodged a £25 million offer to sign Maximilian Kilman.

The Hammers are pushing hard to sign the Old Gold’s captain, who is also of interest to the likes of Man Utd and Chelsea. New manager Julen Lopetegui is desperate to reunite with the centre-back this summer.

The Telegraph reports West Ham have made their first official move, attempting a low-ball offer by floating a £25 million fee in front of Wolves’ noses. Wanderers are expected to turn the deal down after rejecting a higher bid of £30 million from Italian Serie A giants Napoli.

Wolves’ demands could prove too high as Kilman is valued at around £45 million by the West Midlands club. It awaits to be seen if West Ham will be willing to spend that much but Lopetegui has already given the green light to push.

The Spaniard, who managed Wolves between November 2022 and May 2023, made Kilman captain for the first time. The pair enjoyed a strong few months to soar out of relegation reckoning and reach the 41-point mark – an extraordinary achievement given just how far down in the doldrums Wanderers were beforehand.

Lopetegui wants to replicate that success and more at London Stadium, promising Kilman the chance to be a mainstay in a team challenging for European football. Wolves could eventually offer that but the immediacy at West Ham may prove too alluring.

Man Utd considering Kilman approach

West Ham could soon be joined by Man Utd in the race for Kilman as GiveMeSport reports the Red Devils are weighing up making a signing attempt. The Hammers could effectively be seen as the guinea pigs for the saga, giving United an indication of how much they will have to offer.

But Wolves are highly unlikely to accept anything less than the £45 million asked for, and even then they will be reluctant to sell. Kilman has been vital to Wanderers’ success over recent years and he played every single minute of the 2023/24 Premier League season.