“Impressive Display” | Kilman Shows Why He’s The £40M Man

West Ham’s £40M summer signing, Max Kilman, was nothing short of sensational against Crystal Palace.

One of Julen Lopetegui’s first requests upon taking the Hammers’ hot seat was to emphasize the importance of signing his former Wolverhampton Wanderers captain. Clearly, the Spanish head coach believed that Kilman was vital to the style of play he wanted to implement, and the club set about making the transfer happen.

Forty million is a significant sum to spend on a player, and I must admit I was slightly concerned about whether there was better value for money elsewhere. However, I am more than happy to report that Kilman has far exceeded my expectations.

Last season, West Ham conceded a record number of Premier League goals, making it clear that the backline was in desperate need of immediate reinforcement. Having spent £60M on Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd, we really shouldn’t have been in such a position, but the situation had become dire.

So, seeing the team keep a clean sheet against a formidable attacking team like Palace must have been gratifying for Lopetegui. Kilman’s performance will surely have provided the validation the head coach needed to justify the outlay.

As for the player himself, he was formidable in every department against the Eagles. Kilman was dominant in the air, tenacious in the tackle, competent with both long and short passes, and his dribble and assist for Jarrod Bowen’s goal were the stuff of dreams.

In many respects, Kilman put in the sort of performance that was expected of Nayef Aguerd when he joined for over £30M with a reputation as a ball-playing central defender.

So well done, Max, and whisper it quietly… he looks to be building a promising partnership with Dinos Mavropanos.