West Ham United lauded for ‘smart’ Max Kilman decision after win v Crystal Palace
Chris Sutton has lauded West Ham United for the signing of Max Kilman, labelling his transfer a “smart piece of business” after the Irons’ clash with Crystal Palace.
The Hammers picked up their first win under the management of Julen Lopetegui as they ran out 2-0 winners at Selhurst Park on Saturday (24 August) thanks to goals from Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen.
While Bowen earned plenty of praise for his second-half finish, Sutton was quick to credit Kilman for his role in the build-up before complimenting West Ham on their decision to sign the former Wolves skipper.
Speaking on BBC Radio Five Live (24 August, 17:55) he said: “Good signing him, I think he was an everpresent for Wolves last season, I think he played every game.
“That looks to be a smart piece of business.”
How much did West Ham pay Wolves for Max Kilman transfer?
While some eyebrows were raised when the Hammers paid £40million for Kilman this summer, the defender showed in the win over Palace exactly why Lopetegui and Tim Steidten were so keen to secure his services [Sean Whetstone, 7 July].
Not only is the Englishman a physical presence in both boxes but he is immensely composed in possession and will play a major role in how Lopetegui’s side builds out from defence over the remainder of the season.
The run and pass that he played for Bowen’s goal was more reminiscent of Declan Rice than it was Kurt Zouma or Nayef Aguerd. With the ball at his feet, it feels as though West Ham have an extra midfielder in Kilman.
While Konstantinos Mavropanos was the man to partner with him against the Eagles on Saturday, it will be exciting to see what sort of partnership the former Wolves man could form with Jean-Clair Todibo when he is finally afforded a start.
If things click as they are expected to at the London Stadium in the coming months, it feels as though Lopetegui has a squad at his disposal which is more than capable of challenging for the European places.
In other West Ham news, a Tammy Abraham transfer twist has emerged at the London Stadium amid links with a Roma exit
For more West Ham news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.