Max Kilman sold to West Ham: Who will become Wolves’ next captain?

National World - LocalTV

A look at the transfer latest for WWFC.

Transcript

00:00Charlie, let's start with Wolves and obviously a huge outgoing for them in this summer transfer

00:07window. Max Killman, the club captain, leaving to join his former Wolves manager in Julian

00:14Lopetegui at West Ham. I mean, it's quite an interesting situation. £40m, it seemed

00:20an offer that Wolves couldn't really reject, even though he is a crucial part of O'Neill's

00:27side. What's your take and how can Wolves respond? Because it does sort of leave a hole

00:35in that centre-back position. Obviously, you've got Totti, you've got Jose Mosquera possibly

00:39coming back. Craig Dawson, you don't really know what his situation is. Certainly, they

00:44might have to reinvest that into another centre-half.

00:46Yeah, I think that money will have to be spent, at least a big chunk of it, on the new centre-back

00:51because Killman was so important. Hardly missing a minute for Wolves last season. Of course,

00:56he's a club captain as well and so crucial in Gary O'Neill's system, having him playing

01:00out from the back and being so confident. Also, from set-pieces, being a real threat

01:04as well, both defensively and in an attacking sense. So, it's definitely going to leave

01:09a big void in the centre-half defence. Jose Mosquera, I think it'll be an interesting

01:13one whether he can come back from his Villarreal loan and get kick-started again if he's going

01:18to move on permanently. There's been a lot of talk that he could go to Villarreal permanently.

01:23I think that O'Neill will probably want to take a better look at him though in pre-season

01:26and assess whether he can be in his first-team plans because he's a decent player. He's got

01:30a lot of potential. Still young, still quite raw. Is he ready to step up and fill that

01:35role of Killman? I'm not too sure, but just to be in the squad could be pretty useful.

01:39It just depends on his own situation.

01:41And then some potential replacements that have been spoken about. Jake Clark-Salter

01:45from Queens Park Rangers. There's quite a lot of competition for him. A few Premier

01:49League clubs, Crystal Palace, looking at him. Ipswich Town as well. I think Burnley

01:54have been looking at him. He's a decent player as well. He's not played in the Premier League

01:58though and it's someone who he's not going to experience potentially at the top level.

02:02Is he going to be able to step into that role immediately? I'm not too sure, but he's looked

02:06decent for QPR.

02:07And then Nico Elverdi from Borussia Mönchengladbach. A bit more of an experienced player. Someone

02:11who's been playing regular football in the German top flight. More of a proven option

02:15but will cost a bit more money. And as David Carmo from Porto as well, another one discussed.

02:20Thomas Bieland from Feyenoord. Lots of options and I don't think Wolves have made their mind

02:25up just yet. But the good thing is there are options. They are assessing the situation.

02:28I think they're a step ahead knowing that Killman interest will be there. Knowing that

02:32if a big bid came in, they'd have to sell. They've had that list lined up for quite a

02:36while.

02:37Yeah, and obviously it leaves the big question, who becomes club captain? Obviously, it's

02:44not a question that you have to address so often. But now this is the situation that

02:49Gary O'Neill will have to take on board and discuss. Who do you think are the main candidates

02:53for that role in this Wolves side?

02:56I think Craig Dawson would be a pretty obvious option given his experience and his leadership

03:02qualities. It's just the question mark is how many games is he going to be playing and

03:06can you be relying on him as the main captain choice? Or could you have a split captaincy

03:09or having a vice but playing more regularly? I'm not too sure. But in that case, you might

03:13as well just cut your corner and go for someone who will be playing every week. And for me,

03:17Mario Lamina seems like a fantastic option. Experienced, he's got the determination, the

03:22fight, the grit. So popular with the fan base already. I know he's not been here long, but

03:27he's so, so good, isn't he? Every single week putting everything into it, getting injured,

03:32carrying on, playing in whatever position Gary O'Neill wants him. I think he's perfect

03:36for that captaincy. So it'd be interesting to see whether he gets it, but I think he

03:40deserves to.

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