West Ham United will have a decision to make over the future of Max Kilman this summer.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side are taking all of the right steps in regard to securing their Premier League status ahead of the final six games of the season, and one of them is in regard to Kilman.
The former Wolves star had a calamitous start to the campaign, with a series of errors eventually leading to him being dropped from the starting 11.
In his place, the likes of Axel Disasi and Konstantinos Mavropanos have thrived, which is a big reason behind the Irons' upturn in form.
However, Kilman's future at the London Stadium has been widely debated, but it may not be as easy as that.
Whoever decided it was a good idea to hand Kilman a seven-year contract should take the blame for a lot of the issues that have emerged at West Ham over the years.
Having arrived in 2024, it means that the defender will still have five years left on his contract come the end of the season, and almost certainly on high wages.
| Premier League | Kilman |
| Games | 21 |
| Pass accuracy | 87.9% |
| Duels won | 69 |
| Duel win rate | 52.3% |
| Fouls committed | 16 |
Nuno's decision to drop Kilman speaks volumes about where he sees him in his plans, but shifting him in the summer may prove to be a challenge.
Not only will his performances have put off any potential suitors, especially in England, but his contract length gives him the power.
Kilman may well want to play regularly, but should he decide to stay at West Ham and soak in the remaining five years of his multi-million-pound contract, then who could blame him?
It feels unlikely that Kilman will start another game for West Ham this season, especially given the fact that his only start recently had been in the FA Cup.
At this stage, it will take an injury to either Disasi or Mavropanos to afford him the opportunity to return to the team, though even then, his inclusion would be in doubt.
It's clear that his future is away from West Ham, and that is likely to be reflected in his game time in the near future.