West Ham complete deal that opens the door for Moyes to sign long-term target

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 5 Jan 2024 10:36 GMT
• 5 min read

West Ham have completed their first piece of business in the January transfer window, with Thilo Kehrer finalising his move to Ligue 1 club Monaco.

Although the Germany international defender has only returned to France on loan, the deal comes with an option to buy worth €11 million, which could come into force in the summer.

When a €500k loan fee is added to that figure, it means that West Ham will only make a €500k loss on Kehrer if he ends up joining Monaco permanently.

Sky Sports Deutschland have reported that the deal has “easily achievable parameters” for it to become an obligation to buy.

The transfer process moved quickly too, with initial contacts between the clubs having only been made at the start of this week.

Kehrer out, Kilman in at West Ham?

West Ham could use Kehrer’s exit as the leverage they need to complete a deal for Wolves captain Max Kilman, who has been a player of interest to manager David Moyes on a long-term basis.

Prising the 26-year-old away from Molineaux promises to be a difficult task, however.

Kilman signed a new five-year deal with Wolves in the summer after an offer worth in the region of €35m was rejected from Serie A champions Napoli.

While Wolves might hope for a greater fee for the centre-back, who arrived on a free transfer in 2018 from Maidenhead, their financial position remains precarious, and they could be tempted into a deal given that they are under strict financial restrictions due to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.

West Ham refused to spend above Kilman’s market value in the summer after receiving close to €120m from Arsenal for Declan Rice, but with the departure of Kehrer, Moyes may finally be able to talk the board into moving for a player he has long admired.