London [UK], July 6 (ANI): Premier League outfit West Ham United announced the signing of defender Maximilian Kilman from Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
Kilman became the third signing for the Hammers and will play under their new head coach, Julen Lopetegui. He worked under the Spaniard during his time with the Wolves at Molineux.
West Ham released an official statement to announce that the 27-year-old defender had signed a seven-year contract with the club.
“West Ham United is delighted to announce the signing of Wolverhampton Wanderers central defender Maximilian Kilman. The 27-year-old has put pen to paper on a seven-year contract at London Stadium after spending six hugely successful years at Molineux, where he played under new Hammers Head Coach Julen Lopetegui and was named captain last year,” West Ham said in a statement.
Kilman established himself as a reliable centre-back during his time with the Wolves. He has plenty of Premier League experience under his belt. Kilman made more than 150 appearances during his time at Molineux with the Wolves.
“It’s an amazing feeling to be a West Ham United player. As soon as I was aware of the interest from the club, it was an opportunity I was keen to pursue, so I couldn’t be more delighted to be here. I really enjoyed working with Julen during his time at Wolves – he’s a top-class coach and someone I learned a lot from, and I am confident I will continue to improve as a player under his management here,” Kilman said in a statement released by the club.
“West Ham is a massive club, and I feel this is the natural next step forward in my career. Playing in front of a passionate fan base, with 62,500 supporters packing out London Stadium every other week, is something I am incredibly excited about. Having spoken at length to both Julen and Tim [Steidten], I was hugely encouraged about the ambition of the club and their plans for the future. They want to make a big noise here at West Ham, and as a new player coming in, that’s an incredible thing to hear. I’m looking forward to getting down to work and preparing for an exciting season ahead,” he added.
During Lopetegui’s reign at Wolves, Kilman played 24 matches, which included four appearances while donning the captain’s armband during the 2022-23 season.
West Ham United’s Technical Director, Tim Steidten, expressed his delight at Kilman’s signing and said, “We’re delighted to have secured Max’s signature – he was one of our top targets in the central defensive area in this transfer window, so we couldn’t be happier to have completed the deal to bring him to West Ham United.”
“This is a serious and notable moment for West Ham United – the signing of an established, proven English Premier League central defender in the peak years of his career. He has many great qualities as a defender. He’s a strong, powerful centre-back, who possesses the leadership qualities that are so important in that area of the pitch,” he added.
West Ham will begin their Premier League campaign against Aston Villa on August 17. (ANI)
