Wolverhampton Wanderers had a slow-moving summer of business, shocked to life in the build-up to deadline day as Gary O’Neil pieced together his squad.
The Old Gold were restricted for the majority of the transfer window due to financial constraints, limiting the deals they could sanction to bring in added quality.
One area that was busy during the break was the departures from Molineux, as the Midlands side desperately gathered funds to adhere to Financial Fair Play (FFP) rulings.
The departures of captain Ruben Neves, Nathan Collins and Matheus Nunes were the most prominent sales of the summer, with Manchester City making a £53m deadline day swoop for Nunes.
As familiar faces became figures of the past, one name looked almost certain to join the list of departures; Max Kilman. However, his future at Wolves took a drastic turn instead.
How much did Wolves sign Max Kilman for?
Back in 2018, the Midlands side made a deadline day move for the former Maidenhead United defender during the reign of Nuno Santo.
The arrival was certainly less exciting than others that have arrived at Molineux over the years with Kilman setting them back just £40,000.
After rising through the ranks at Wolves since his arrival as a 21-year-old, the centre-back looked as if he would move onto pastures new this summer, as Italian champions Napoli circled the Englishman.
How much is Max Kilman worth now?
It was revealed that the Old Gold boldly rejected a bid worth £30m from the Naples giants, with Premier League clubs also eyeing his situation through Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur. It was thought they were holding out for a figure of £35m.
Had they received that sum, it would have marked a remarkable 87400% increase in his original fee.
An assured season in 2022/23 saw the 26-year-old make a total of 41 appearances in all competitions, communicating his value to the side and their reluctance to allow him to depart.
How important is Max Kilman to Wolves?
Featuring in all but one of Wolves’ Premier League fixtures last term, the centre-back's importance to the squad became paramount.
In remaining at the club, the defender was handed an improved contract to extend his stay to 2028, as well as being named club captain following the departure of Neves to Al-Hilal.
Hailed as a “monster” by journalist Tom Parker, the centre-back was integral to Wolves’ survival in the Premier League last term, after a season of ups and downs as well as three managers.
Throughout the rollercoaster of form and tactics, the Englishman maintained an average of 4.1 total duel wins per game, equating to a win rate of 63% at the heart of defence, via Sofascore.
At a time when the club’s captain was sold for profit, it was questionable as to why Wolves turned down £30m for the defender, whose exit could have permitted further relief to the financial stress.
In tying the former Maidenhead ace down to an extended deal, the Old Gold are only adding even more value to his services, making him not only an important player for the season ahead, but a potentially valuable asset to sell in the future.
The demand for the Londoner in the transfer window told the story of his rise to form at Molineux, showcasing just how good the piece of business was to sign him back in 2018.