One of the more hilarious transfer stories seems to have passed me by — until it resurfaced today.
You can imagine my surprise when I stumbled across a Football Insider article from ten days ago suggesting that Crystal Palace plan to make a January move for Max Kilman.
Yes, you read that correctly.
Most Read on West Ham News
And let’s be clear — this wasn’t the newly improved version of Kilman we saw against Newcastle, but the one who struggled badly in defeats to Brentford and Leeds United.
Apparently, Palace could lose captain Marc Guéhi to Liverpool in January and want to replace him with West Ham’s record £40 million paid for a defender.
A Far-Fetched Rumour
Quite how much the Eagles would be willing to pay is anyone’s guess, but it’s hard to imagine West Ham recouping anything close to the original fee.
On his day, Kilman can be a decent defender — but even his biggest supporters would probably admit the Hammers paid over the odds for him.
All joking aside, the story feels like a non-starter. Palace are a team on the up and pushing for Europe again this season. They’re more likely to target a player with genuine pedigree rather than one struggling for form in a relegation fight.
And with Kilman earning a hefty wage at the London Stadium, it’s difficult to see him fitting into the South London club’s salary structure.