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Max Kilman has outlined his ambitions to earn an England call-up after his £40m move from Wolves to West Ham.
The 27-year-old, who was at non-league Maidenhead until 2018, has been among the Premier League’s most consistent performers over the last three seasons.
Kilman has signed a six-year deal at West Ham under new manager Julen Lopetegui, and a strong campaign could put him in contention for a place in the England squad.
"It is definitely a big aim for me," Kilman told BBC Sport. "I have been competing against other Premier League central defenders in the last couple of years and I have been consistent. I want to get as high as I can as a player so playing for England would be a huge honour."
Kilman was a fan favourite and a stalwart at Wolves until West Ham came calling this summer, and he has admitted the move was too appealing to turn down.
The former Fulham academy prospect played under Lopetegui during the Spaniard’s spell at Wolves.
"I never thought I would leave Wolves," he added. "I was there for so long, so this is something a bit unusual, but I was born and raised in London, which makes it a bit easier and I am really happy to be at West Ham.
"The manager is obviously a big factor. He did a really good job at Wolves. There are not many teams who have started bottom of the league at Christmas and stayed out of it.
"He had really high standards and wanted every player to reach the top of their game. That is what he has done really well in his career. He has pushed players to their limits. He helped me improve so much."
Expectations are high at West Ham ahead of the new Premier League season, with Kilman one of several high-profile additions to the squad. The centre-back could be partnered by former Barcelona defender Jean-Clair Todibo, who has arrived on loan from Nice.
The likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Guido Rodriguez, Luis Guilherme, Crysencio Summerville and Niclas Fullkrug have also been signed.
Kilman spoke last month of the progress the squad was making during their pre-season training camp in Austria.
He said: "Everyone has been really good and it shows how tight-knit the group is together, so I’m really pleased. I just want to keep working and keep going.
"I’m enjoying it [working under Lopetegui]. It is really tough but he wants to get the best out of all of us, so that’s the most important thing. We want to learn, we want to improve and we want to be the best that we can be.
"The training has been tough [in Austria] - getting used to the new system we want to play and integrating with all the boys. Everyone has been really welcoming and I’ve enjoyed every bit of it."
