Wolves will wince now more than ever at transfer decision involving Max Kilman | OneFootball

Wolverhampton Wanderers once had the opportunity to sign Elliot Anderson in a deal involving Max Kilman

Wolverhampton Wanderers will be playing Championship football next season following relegation from the Premier League, but this could potentially have been avoided had they struck a deal with Newcastle United for a player who is now a bona fide superstar.

Indeed, after eight years in the top-flight, Wolves are heading back to the second tier, and with the summer transfer window officially underway, things are beginning to heat up at Molineux.

Both Kieran Trippier, 35, and Raul Jimenez, 35, have signed on the dotted line for the Old Gold to kick off their window, whilst the club made the controversial decision to dismiss Welsh boss Rob Edwards after just seven months at the helm.

It seemed certain that the former Luton Town and Middlesbrough head coach would lead Wolves into the second tier after he jumped ship from Boro last November to return to the club he once played for, but now, he has seen his position taken by Portuguese boss Cesar Peixoto.

Now, with Peixoto at the helm, Wolves fans don't really know what to expect upon their return to the second tier, whilst some fans likely can't help but cringe when looking back at a deal they rejected for a player who is now worth a nine-figure sum involving Max Kilman.

Wolves rejected Newcastle United's cash plus Elliot Anderson proposal for Max Kilman in the summer of 2024

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Back in the summer of 2024, Wolves had just recorded a 14th-place finish in the Premier League, falling one place from the year prior, with the likes of Pedro Neto, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Matheus Cunha still in their ranks.

At the back, Toti Gomes and Craig Dawson partnered Max Kilman in a back three, the latter of whom would be the subject of interest from numerous division rivals, including Newcastle United.

The Magpies were looking to bolster their defensive options under Eddie Howe, and identified Kilman as an ideal target to step into the left side of their back four, and made a proposal to the Old Gold in a cash plus player deal.

According to John Percy via X, that player was Elliot Anderson, who, at the time, had struggled to break into a midfield containing the likes of Bruno Guimares, Joelinton, and Sandro Tonali, and was viewed as an expendable option for Howe's side.

Anderson, 23, has progressed through the ranks at St James' Park to the first team, and had previously thrived on loan in League Two for Bristol Rovers, scoring seven and assisting six in 21 league games during the 2021/22 campaign.

Wolves would reject the bid from Newcastle, with Kilman instead heading to West Ham United for £40 million, whilst Anderson instead headed to Nottingham Forest for around £35 million, with Odysseas Vlachodimos heading in the opposite direction, as the Magpies posted a pure profit on their academy graduate to save themselves from breaching financial issues.

Now, this saga doesn't paint a pretty picture for Wolves, who must wince in horror after seeing Anderson's progression at Forest, becoming one of the best midfielders in the Premier League and a certified starter for England ahead of the likes of Kobbie Mainoo, Adam Wharton, and James Garner.

Anderson is now on the brink of completing a £116 million move to Manchester City, whilst Kilman has just been relegated to the Championship with West Ham, and has never once been involved in the England squad conversation, with his value plummeting.

Wolves, of course, had no way of knowing just how good Anderson would become after leaving Newcastle, but nevertheless, knowing they were once offered the opportunity to sign the 23-year-old plus money for a player now worth not even a fifth of the England international's value must sting.

As the Old Gold prepare for the Championship, this will only serve as an unwelcome reminder and a crucial factor in their demise over the past couple of years.

Wolves will always regret turning down the Elliot Anderson deal involving Max Kilman

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Whilst Wolves may well have succumbed to relegation even if they had signed Anderson a couple of years ago, there's surely no doubt that they would have been better off taking that deal.

In truth, their inability to replace the likes of Cunha, Ait-Nouri, Neto, and Nelson Semedo effectively has played a factor in their relegation, rather than not signing Anderson would have done.

However, Wolves supporters will no doubt have their heads in their hands over slipping up on this deal, and wondering what could have been had they accepted Newcastle's proposal instead of West Ham's.