Kilman played every minute of all 38 Premier League games last season, with William Saliba of Arsenal the only other outfield player to achieve the feat.

However, now it will be West Ham who benefit from his reliability, his £40m move reuniting him with former Molineux boss Julen Lopetegui, who made him captain while Wolves head coach.

Wolves have plans in place and were prepared for this eventuality, though.

It is a huge fee for a 27-year-old who cost just £40,000 from Maidenhead in 2018 and represents a stunning deal for the club.

Ultimately, it was too good to turn down and helps fund deals already done for Rodrigo Gomes and Pedro Lima, while Wolves will be able to reinvest some of the cash for Kilman's replacement.

Gary O'Neil has his targets and Wolves will need a solution alongside the ever-dependable Craig Dawson.

It is not ideal but they still have five weeks to prepare, while there is a pre-season trip to Spain next week.

They could face an immediate reunion with Kilman in a friendly against the Hammers, as well as fixtures against Crystal Palace and RB Leipzig in the nited States.