Hammers captain Kurt Zouma has let it slip that one of his teammates is about to be sold by West Ham United this summer.
It says a lot that one of Julen Lopetegui’s first missions as West Ham’s new head coach is to rebuild the defence.
Technical director Tim Steidten is reportedly prioritising signing two new centre-backs for Lopetegui.
West Ham looked to have sealed their first signing of the summer window when a deal was agreed with Flamengo for Brazil international Fabricio Bruno.
That £12.5m deal collapsed, though. It has since been claimed it was down to Bruno’s dissatisfaction with the personal terms being offered by West Ham.
But Hammers News has reported on the real reason why that move fell through.
The Hammers have also been linked with a host of other centre-backs including Wolves’ Max Kilman, Maxime Esteve, Hull’s Jacob Greaves and Bayer Leverkusen’s Odilon Kossounou.
What is abundantly clear is that Lopetegui and Steidten see the centre of defence as the team’s biggest weak point.
And with good reason.
West Ham prioritising defensive rebuild
West Ham conceded 74 goals last season, the most they’ve ever shipped in the Premier League. That is completely unacceptable and questions need to be asked.
Angelo Ogbonna and Thilo Kehrer have now left the club, following on from the departure of Craig Dawson 18 months ago.
That leaves West Ham with only Kurt Zouma, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Nayef Aguerd.
Reports have abound that Aguerd wants out of West Ham and that the club are keen to sell him to raise additional funds.
Atletico Madrid are believed to be leading the race in a £25-30m deal.
That money will bolster West Ham’s reported £100m budget. Given the Hammers need around eight signings, every penny will be crucial.
There have also been reports that Lopetegui could try to keep Aguerd at the club.
But now Zouma has let it slip that his teammate is about to be sold by West Ham.
Zouma lets slip that Aguerd is about to be sold
The current Hammers captain has been raving about Aguerd.
Zouma claims the Moroccan is the best left-footed centre-back he’s ever seen.
But while singing his praises as he picked Aguerd in his World XI, Zouma also appeared to make it clear his fellow centre-back will be leaving.
“Aguerd (at left centre-back in my World XI),” Zouma told West Ham TV, as you can see at the bottom of this story.
“Because for me he’s the best left-footed centre-back I have ever seen.
“Not because he’s my friend but also the quality that he has.
‘I wish him all the best’
“He’s my friend, of course we’re tight, but his left foot is a joke, for me, and he’s got everything (he needs) to be one of the best.
“And I wish him all the best, seriously, and I want him to show his abilities because he’s an unbelievable player.
“He’s a good friend of mine as well but a top player. So, yeah, I pick him.”
Clearly Aguerd is nowhere near being one of the best centre-backs in world football regardless of what Zouma says.
The fact Zouma says he ‘wishes him all the best’ and that he wants his friend to go and ‘show his abilities’ speaks volumes.
Unless it’s a hint Zouma himself is moving on – given there have been links to Saudi – it seems clear Aguerd’s time at West Ham is coming to an end. His best friend at the club certainly appears to have suggested that is the case.
Zouma is right that Aguerd has a wonderful left foot. Of that there’s no doubt.
But he has been seriously inconsistent since joining West Ham for £30m from Rennes.
He has proved too weak and slow to shine in the rough and tumble of the Premier League. The odd good game in five or six simply isn’t the standard West Ham need if they want to progress.
Aguerd will hit the occasional world class long diagonal pass to Jarrod Bowen. But Lopetegui will be looking to play out along the floor from the back.
Aguerd is at fault for far too many goals and lacks bravery in a position where that’s a non-negotiable in the English game.
If West Ham can get £25m for him they should snap Atletico’s hands off regardless of Zouma talking up his close pal.
The money can then be re-invested in a younger, better player such as Kilman.