Wolves: £35m Molineux star has seen his value soar by 87400%

Wolves pulled off a fine piece of business back in 2018 in a move that could generate significant funds in the future…

Wolverhampton Wanderers had a quiet summer of business, bursting to life in the run-up to deadline day as Gary O’Neil assembled his squad.

Due to financial constraints, the Old Gold were restricted for the majority of the transfer window, restricting the transactions they could authorize to bring in more talent.

The departures from Molineux were active during the break, as the Midlands side hurriedly sought finances to comply with Financial Fair Play (FFP) guidelines.

The exits of captain Ruben Neves, Nathan Collins, and Matheus Nunes were the most notable sales of the summer, with Manchester City paying £53 million for Nunes on the final day of the transfer window.

As known faces faded into obscurity, one name seemed almost destined to join the list of departures: Max Kilman. His future at Wolves, though, took an abrupt turn.

How much did Wolves sign Max Kilman for?

During Nuno Santo’s leadership, the Midlands club made a deadline-day deal for the former Maidenhead United defender.

The arrival was probably less spectacular than others at Molineux over the years, with Kilman costing them only £40,000.

After progressing through the ranks at Wolves since his arrival as a 21-year-old, the centre-back looked set to leave this summer as Italian champions Napoli surrounded him.

How much is Max Kilman worth now?

The Old Gold boldly rejected a £30 million approach from the Naples giants, with Premier League clubs Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur also keeping a watch on his position. They were said to be asking for £35 million.

If they had gotten that amount, it would have represented a staggering 87400% increase in his original fee.

In 2022/23, the 26-year-old made 41 appearances across all competitions, demonstrating his importance to the team and their reluctance to let him go.

How important is Max Kilman to Wolves?

With the centre-back starting all but one of Wolves’ Premier League games last season, his value to the group grew.

Following the departure of Neves to Al-Hilal, the defender was given an enhanced deal that would extend his stay until 2028, as well as being elected club captain.

The centre-back, dubbed a “monster” by journalist Tom Parker, was crucial to Wolves’ survival in the Premier League last season, despite a season of ups and downs and three managers.

Throughout the ups and downs of form and tactics, the Englishman averaged 4.1 total duel wins per game, corresponding to a win rate of 63% at the heart of defense, according to Sofascore.

At a time when the club’s captain was sold for a profit, it was puzzling that Wolves turned down £30 million for the defender, whose retirement could have provided additional financial relief.

By tying down the former Maidenhead ace to an extension, the Old Gold are only increasing the value of his talents, making him not only a crucial player for the upcoming season, but also a potentially desirable commodity to sell in the future.

The demand for the Londoner in the transfer window told the story of his rise to form at Molineux, demonstrating how wise the decision to recruit him back in 2018 was.