By his own admission, a player bound for the Champions League initially had no intention of walking away from West Ham United.
Yet, when the opportunity arose to swap the London Stadium for the grandest of European stages, to hear that iconic anthem ringing in his ears before going into battle against Barcelona, Inter Milan, Benfica and Arsenal, well, suddenly the prospect of another season in the claret and blue lost some of its lustre.
While Thilo Kehrer has very fond memories of his time at West Ham – particularly winning the Europa Conference League and sending David Moyes into a hip-wiggling jig – the opportunity to play Champions League football back in France was one the former Paris Saint-Germain defender could not turn down.
“My plan wasn’t to leave West Ham because I was very happy there,” Thilo Kehrer told The Athletic this week, almost a year since Monaco triggered the £9.4 million clause in the Germany international’s contract.
“What was important was the conversations I had about the style of play and the club’s ambitions. That’s what attracted me to Monaco. Hearing the Champions League theme was special this season.”
Following Monaco’s 2-0 victory over rivals Lyon on Saturday, meanwhile, Kehrer and Los Monegasques have cemented their place back amongst Europe’s elite at a time when a return to continental action feels increasingly like a pipe dream at the London Stadium.
Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images
Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images
Former West Ham United defender Thilo Kehrer returns to the Champions League
There will be no parties in South London as the curtain falls on another underwhelming season.
West Ham allegedly cancelled their end of season awards ceremony. Maybe a wise decision, a time when probably Jarrod Bowen and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are the only realistic candidates for the club’s Hammer of the Year prize.
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The mood, following confirmation of Monaco’s top-three finish in France’s top flight, was very different indeed. Joyless at West Ham United – well, until Sunday’s 2-0 win at Manchester United that is – jubilant in the Principality.
“Yes, we had a big party,” Kehrer beams, Monaco having put a four-point buffer between themselves and Nice with one matchday remaining. “Because, frankly, we didn’t expect [Nice to lose at struggling Rennes]!
“We told ourselves that we had to concentrate on our match. After the victory, we looked at the results and, there you go! Our objective was the Champions League, and we’re there.
“Objective achieved.”
Kehrer captained Monaco in the Champions League this season
Denis Zakaria is the all-action captain of Monaco these days.
Such is his rather worrisome availability record – the former Chelsea and Juventus man has missed 19 matches since the start of 2023/24 – opportunities could arise for the club’s vice-captain to lead Adi Hutter’s team out onto hallowed turf next term.
Thilo Kehrer captained Monaco in three Champions League fixtures this term, including the valiant last-16 exit at the hands of Benfica.
While West Ham’s decision to get rid felt like the right one at the time – Kehrer conceded a penalty 20 minutes into his Premier League debut and that was a sign of things to come – the 28-year-old has rapidly matured into not only a leader but also a reliable, solid central defender for a team capable of rubbing shoulders with Europe’s best.