West Ham faced competition in their pursuit of Max Kilman from Newcastle United, according to various news sources. The latest revelations goes some way to explain the hurried manner in which the Hammers executed the medical and registration of the Wolves captain.
Newcastle United reportedly showed a keen interest in acquiring Kilman.
The Telegraph reports that the Magpies proposed a deal earlier in the summer that would have involved both cash and a player—specifically Elliot Anderson, who later transferred to Nottingham Forest.
Moreover, Newcastle was not alone in proposing a player exchange to secure Kilman. After West Ham’s initial offer of 25 million pounds was turned down, they presented a second proposal that included a player, which Wolverhampton Wanderers also declined.
Whilst Kilman attracted significant interest from The Toon, Hammers’ new head coach, Julen Lopetegui, previously worked with Kilman at Wolves and is thought to have played a key role in convincing Kilman to opt for the move to London instead of Tyneside.
The Telegraph further notes that Eddie Howe’s Newcastle maintained their interest in Kilman until very recently but were unable to commit to a £40 million pound fee without first offloading some of their current players.
Meanwhile, Newcastle has already faced setbacks in their pursuit of defensive reinforcements, including failing to sign Tosin Adarabioyo, who, also linked with West Ham, opted for a move to Chelsea on a free transfer.