Perhaps to the surprise of some, Max Kilman made the leap to top-flight football straight from non-league after joining Wolves from Maidenhead in 2018 - and it was definitely a deal that was worth it in the end.
Going on to captain the club under Gary O'Neil, Kilman made a sensational £40 million switch to West Ham United in the summer of 2024 after six years at Molineux, going from non-league player to one of the world's most expensive centre-backs in a short period of time.
Kilman took his time to get comfortable with first-team football though, and as Wolves transitioned following the departure of Nuno Espirito Santo in 2021, Sheffield United made a move for his services when they were a Championship club - and recent history has showed that the Blades were ahead of the curve with Kilman as they made an approach for the defender.
Premier League - West Ham United v Manchester City
And whilst a move never materialised, Kilman's development over the next few years suggests that then-United boss Slavisa Jokanovic had his eyes in the right place.
Sheffield United eyed up Max Kilman three years before his £40m move
First-team appearances did not arrive immediately for Kilman at Wolves. Slowly but surely though, his 6 foot 4 inch frame, combined with his intelligence and ball-playing ability honed through his days spent playing futsal, had been refined to cope at the highest level.
In the summer of 2021, following their relegation from the Premier League, the Blades made an ambitious attempt to sign Kilman.
Then, under Slavisa Jokanovic and rebuilding in the Championship, the Blades had identified Kilman as a player with top-flight potential and someone who could play a big part in getting them back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
slavisa jokanovic 2
Alongside Barnsley, who were coming off the back of a run to the Championship play-offs in the previous season, they made an approach that was ultimately rebuffed by Wolves, who opted to keep Kilman at the club.
It proved a decisive moment. That season, under Bruno Lage, Kilman began to establish himself as a first-team regular, and it was a moment that he would not look back from.
The following seasons were tougher at Molineux. Kilman played a vital part alongside Craig Dawson as Wolves secured safety under Julen Lopetegui in 2023, before the Spaniard shocked the world and left his post at Wolves just days before the season opener against Manchester United.
Julen Lopetegui Wolves
However, it was under Gary O'Neil, who inherited the reins, that Kilman would go on to captain the club after Ruben Neves' departure, and his performances would lead to West Ham dropping a mammoth sum of money on him.
|Max Kilman stats per club (Transfermarkt)|
|Club|Appearances|Goals|Assists|Minutes played|
|---|
|Wolverhampton Wanderers|151|3|3|13,090|
|West Ham United|41|-|2|3,619|
|Maidenhead United|34|1|-|2,480|
|Wolverhampton Wanderers U21|21|2|-|1,863|
As for Sheffield United, after failing in their move for Kilman, they ended up signing another left-footed defender in the form of Liverpool's Ben Davies, but he would play just 22 times for the Blades in the Championship as he would miss several periods of action, as well as being eventually benched by Jokanovic's successor Paul Heckingbottom.
United made further centre-half additions in Charlie Goode of Brentford and Croatian defender Filip Uremovic, but they made barely any impact at Bramall Lane, and when their promotion efforts were halted by Nottingham Forest in the play-off semi-finals, there may have been some 'What if?' thoughts in regards to losing out on Kilman 10 months prior.
Sheffield United proved to be ahead of the curve with Max Kilman approach
In the summer of 2024, West Ham swooped with a £40 million bid that Wolves accepted. It was a deal that not only reflected Kilman's rise but also retroactively validated Sheffield United's early judgment.
Although the Blades couldn't pull off the move in 2021, their attempt to secure Kilman's services ahead of his breakthrough suggests a keen eye for talent and a willingness to think long-term.
Max Kilman
Three years on, the defender has gone from Championship loan target to Premier League captain and £40 million signing. A testament to his development and, crucially, those who spotted his potential early on.
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