West Ham United may have boosted chances of Max Kilman addition after Gary O’Neil’s latest comments
With the January transfer window now in full flow, West Ham United look as though they have already got some outgoing business done in the opening days of the month.
According to reports, Thilo Kehrer is set to complete a switch to Ligue 1 giants Monaco in the coming hours having completed his medical tests ahead of an initial loan deal with an option to buy at the end of the season [Fabrizio Romano, 4 January].
The Hammers were always expected to sell this month before adding to their squad, but the German’s early exit could allow David Moyes the chance to finally enter the market in search of a new defensive option.
One name that has been repeatedly linked with a switch to the London Stadium is Wolves defender Max Kilman, with reports suggesting that West Ham may be keen to reignite their interest this month, having been keen on the centre-back this summer [talkSPORT, 2 January].
The initial expectation was that Gary O’Neil’s side would be reluctant to sell the 26-year-old this January after he signed a new five-year contract at Molineux, however, the Hammers may have received a boost to their hopes after the Wolves’ boss’ latest comments.
Speaking in a press conference ahead of the FA Cup clash with Brentford via Hammers News (5 January), O’Neil said: “January is a tricky market and yea the financial restrictions we faced in the summer are still firmly in place, there’s no real change on that front.
“If we can do a few bits going out it may help us with doing things that can come in. So there may be some movement on that. That will pretty much be how January unfolds really.”
While O’Neil didn’t confirm who could be heading out of Molineux this January, it appears as though Wolves remain in a position where they may need to sell players to fit in with the Premier League’s financial fair play rules.
That could therefore mean that West Ham may be able to prise the 26-year-old away from Wolves if they are able to pay a reasonable price for the English defender, however, he is still unlikely to come cheaply. The Irons have their own FFP concerns this season, so it could be a sort of catch-22 situation.
Whether or not the Hammers will act upon their reported interest before the month is up remains to be seen, but with a centre-back on their shopping list, a move for Kilman this January doesn’t seem to be completely out of the question.
In other West Ham news, one report has shared who could be set to follow Thilo Kehrer out of the London Stadium this January