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.
Possessing plenty of Premier League experience, Kilman has forged a strong reputation as a hugely talented and reliable defender with more than 150 appearances at Wolves, where he played his part in their run to the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals in 2019/20.
Having started his career at non-league Maidenhead United, where he was managed by Hammers legend Alan Devonshire, Kilman has thrived ever since moving up to the top flight with his August 2018 move to the Midlands, and is now thrilled to be taking the next step of his career in east London.
“It’s an amazing feeling to be a West Ham United player,” said Kilman.
“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 added: “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.”
The west London-born defender played 24 games – including four as captain – under Lopetegui’s management at Wolves during the 2022/23 season, and Technical Director Tim Steidten is thrilled to be able to bring Kilman’s talents to east London.
“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,” said Steidten.
“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.
“Julen and I have spoken at length about the kind of characters we want to bring to West Ham, and Max fits the bill.
“His arrival shows the ambition of the Board to bring big players to the Football Club. I’m sure the West Ham fans are as excited as we all are about this signing.”
Everyone at West Ham United would like to welcome Maximilian and his family to east London and wish him every success for his career in Claret and Blue.
