Nayef Aguerd has taken drastic action to get out of West Ham with 3 years left to run on his Hammers deal it has emerged.
It has been clear for some time that Nayef Aguerd wants out of West Ham.
Aguerd started last season in the same kind of inconsistent, error-prone form that has been an unwelcome feature of his time at West Ham.
David Moyes spoke out publicly and stated that the £30m signing’s performances must improve.
Before Christmas it looked very likely that Aguerd may have played his last game for the Hammers.
He made himself unavailable for West Ham due to illness for games over the festive period.
But he then jetted off to meet up with the Morocco squad for AFCON where his error dumped the Atlas Lions out of the tournament.
Aguerd found himself benched for much of the second half of the season.
He has been linked with moves to France, Spain and Saudi Arabia.
There were rumours Lopetegui was open to keeping Aguerd.
But it’s been made clear he doesn’t want to stay and West Ham are reportedly happy to sell at the right price – which should be a substantial fee given the 27-year-old still has three years to run on his current deal.
Aguerd wants out but Hammers will demand fair price
That’s particularly important given the club are keen to raise funds towards signing two new centre-backs for Julen Lopetegui.
The Spaniard also wants to sell captain Kurt Zouma, who appeared to hint he and Aguerd will be moving on in recent interview.
West Ham have made their position perfectly clear already with technical director Tim Steidten bidding for a host of central defenders.
The Hammers almost signed Brazilian Fabricio Bruno and the club has confirmed to Hammers News they are bidding for Max Kilman.
Maxime Esteve, Hull’s Jacob Greaves, Bayer Leverkusen’s Odilon Kossounou, Lyon’s Jake O’Brien, Bologna’s Riccardo Calafiori and Le Havre’s Etienne Youte Kinkoue are just some of the others being linked with West Ham.
After links with his former club Rennes and Atletico Madrid, though, things have gone quiet regarding Aguerd of late.
Now Aguerd has taken drastic action to get out of West Ham with three years left on his deal.
Aguerd takes drastic action to get out of West Ham
According to Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna, Aguerd is ‘at a turning point in his career’.
And he has taken matters into his own hands over a move by changing agents to CanteraSport.
The agency – which also represents Zouma, Tanguy Ndombele, Benoit Badiashile and Aimen Moueffek – made an announcement welcoming Aguerd on Instagram.
The post reads like an advert, describing the established international as a ‘promising centre-back’.
It also states they are about to go on a new journey together.
“We are delighted to announce the signing of Nayef Aguerd, promising centre back for West Ham and Morocco international,” the announcement states.
“Our journey together starts right here, right now. Welcome to the family Nayef!”
Change of agents to facilitate change of club
Aouna suggests Aguerd’s name has been mentioned at ‘other Premier League clubs’.
It remains to be seen whether another club in England would want the left-footed defender, though.
Aguerd has a wonderful left foot. But he has been seriously inconsistent since joining West Ham, who massively overpaid at £30m.
He has proved too weak and slow off the mark in Premier League. Aguerd has the odd good game in five or six and that simply won’t cut it for West Ham need if they want to progress having conceded a Premier League club record 74 goals last season.
Aguerd has been known to hit the occasional brilliant long diagonal to Jarrod Bowen. But Lopetegui is looking to play out along the floor from the back.
And the wantaway star is at fault for far too many goals while also lacking bravery in a position where that’s quite simply a non-negotiable in the English game.