Wolves have been linked with a move for another centre-back as Gary O’Neil looks to fill the Max Kilman shaped hole in his side’s defence ahead of the new Premier League season, it has been reported.
Kilman’s departure a major blow for Wolves
Though it was in some ways no surprise to see former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui return to Molineux to poach the man he made captain of the Old Gold, the move still came as a massive blow to O’Neil’s side. An excellent defender, Kilman was also blessed with excellent durability, a fact that saw him play every minute of the 2023-24 campaign and miss just a single game across the last two seasons.
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PL Games missed by Max Kilman in the last three seasons |
|
|
Season |
Games Missed |
|
2023-24 |
0 |
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2022-23 |
1 |
|
2021-22 |
8 |
O’Neil’s side are yet to even try and replace him this summer despite the new season kicking off in just three weeks’ time, with the Wolves boss focussing on strengthening their frontline after it struggled across the 2023-24 campaign.
Now though, they are moving to shore up the heart of defence, if the latest reports are to be believed, and have earmarked the man to step into the void left by the former Wolves skipper.
Wolves eyeing up centre-back
That comes in the form of former Southampton defender Kevin Danso, who is set to leave current club RC Lens this summer and is attracting interest from across Europe. Foot Mercato [Via Sport Witness] claim that Wolves are “closely monitoring the situation” around the defender, who has long been linked with a move away from Lens.
Danso was at the heart of Austria’s EURO 2024 backline, appearing in three of their four games under Ralf Rangnick at the tournament. Standing at 6 foot 3, he has been described as a defender with “rapid recovery pace” who is also an “excellent progressor” and a “physical defender”, according to football analyst Ben Mattiinson on X.
But the 25-year-old is free to leave Lens this summer, with journalist Sacha Tavolieri explaining earlier in the transfer window that the French side needs to sell players this summer to comply with financial fair play regulations.
It means that the French side are unlikely to demand the full reported 35m euro release clause written into Danso’s £24k per week deal, and could well sell for less, which will come as music to the ears of any potential interested parties.
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Wolves are not alone in their admiration of the centre-back though. The report adds that Danso “has suitors around Europe” before naming current European Champions Atalanta and Antonio Conte’s Napoli, as well as West Ham, who remain on the hunt for another defender even after poaching Kilman from Molineux. It is added that Lens will “want at least €25m” (£21m) to part ways with the Austrian this summer.
