Claret & Hugh reports that “a number of clubs” are interested in signing West Ham’s Moroccan defender Nayef Aguerto, who could finally move on in the final days of the transfer window.
The Hammers have been trying to sell Aguerd all summer but the defender has reportedly been unhappy at the club since the end of last season. Reports suggest he enjoyed pre-season under manager Julen Lopetegui which has led to his happiness at the club. He wants to leave the London Stadium this summer.
In the early stages of the transfer window, Aguerdo was linked with a move to Atletico Madrid, but reports have said that the Madrid club only wanted an initial loan move. At the time, the Hammers were not interested in a loan move and turned down Atletico’s offer for the player. The Spanish side decided to move on Robin Le Normand and Clement Lenglet instead, and were therefore no longer interested in Aguerdo.
Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg recently loaned the 28-year-old to the club, and reports suggest the Hammers were willing to accept the deal, but the defender rejected a move to the Volkswagen Arena.
Sky Sports’ Dharmesh Sheth reports that Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad are interested in bringing Aguerre to the Middle East. This would be the ideal scenario for West Ham, as a move to Saudi Arabia would be in the best financial interest of the club. The Hammers would be keen to recoup as much of the €35 million fee they paid for him in the summer of 2022.
However, he may reject the move to Saudi Arabia. Hatim Finani, a close friend of Nayef Aguerre, made an Instagram post suggesting Aguerre had been locked out of West Ham because he rejected offers from Saudi Arabia and Turkey. It has also been written that the defender is instead looking for a new club in one of Europe’s top leagues.
Hammers fans are confused as to why Agert rejected a move to Wolfsburg in this instance, but everyone knows that despite his mediocre spell with the Hammers, he is capable of playing at a higher level than a mid-table Bundesliga club, and a return to his former club Rennes seems unlikely, with the club recently signing Michaël Faye from Barcelona.
It remains to be seen whether Aguerd ultimately leaves the club, and whether it is on a permanent basis or on loan, but if he does go, manager Julen Lopetegui will want to replace him and that could be long-term target Trevoh Chalobah, who has been told by Chelsea to find a new club. Kurt Zouma is also set to leave the club, joining Al Oroba on a free transfer if he passes a medical.