Nayef Aguerd, a £30 million defender for West Ham United, is one player who has significantly tarnished his reputation this season.
When West Ham paid £30 million to recruit Nayef Aguerd from Rennes in the summer of 2022, supporters believed they had acquired a top-tier centre back.
The Hammers had to wait four months to see him play in a meaningful match after he sustained an injury minutes into his preseason debut against Rangers.
They were impressed when they finally did. Aguerd had the right look—cool, collected, and a gorgeous left foot.
Aguerd struggling to cut it in Premier League
His value may have doubled after he and Morocco dazzled at the World Cup.
There have occasionally been performances that stand out. But in a little more than a year, Aguerd’s spot in the starting XI has been questioned due to error-filled display after error-filled exhibition.
along with a rationale.
Aguerd’s illness kept him out of action over the Christmas break before Morocco’s AFCON match. Konstantinos Mavropanos took over and played brilliantly, save for a disastrous error in Bristol.
Mavropanos hard done by after harsh Moyes call
In the 1-1 draw with Bournemouth, he was the standout player for West Ham. Since the beginning of the year, the only aspect of the team that had been playing to a respectable standard was the defence, which included the huge Greek.
However, Mavropanos was unexpectedly substituted for Aguerd by David Moyes during the 3-0 loss to Manchester United.
Supporters thought it was an odd and severe choice.
Aguerd has a left foot that is a wand. However, he also has a tendency to make highly expensive mistakes frequently, as Morocco discovered when South Africa eliminated them from the AFCON.
The defence has been worse with Aguerd in it, despite the fact that he is obviously not the only one who has performed poorly.
The only proof required on that front is the eleven goals given up in three games since his return to the team.
And Aguerd has been partly or entirely to blame for many of them.
Aguerd frequently reacts too slowly, rashly, and weakly to be effective in the Premier League.
In a recent defence of his choice to bench Mavropanos in favour of Aguerd, the manager stated that he prefers having a left-footed defender for balance. But he acknowledged that the 26-year-old still has to work on certain areas of his game.
West Ham want Aguerd out and ‘quick, strong’ star in
Since then, he has not taken any initiative.
Furthermore, a close associate of Moyes asserts that West Ham has given up on Aguerd and is looking to let him go.
Moyes is one of the people that Scottish reporter Alan Nixon keeps in touch with.
Additionally, a journalist for The Sun claims that the Hammers are impatient and need Aguerd to show that he can compete in the Premier League.
They therefore want to let him go in the summer and invest heavily in acquiring a “quick and strong” star to take his place.
According to Nixon’s Patreon post, “West Ham are prepared to spend big on a centre half for next season and could cash in on Nayef Aguerd.”
“David Moyes’s spies are searching all over the world for the solution and have put a tough and speedy defender on their desired list.
“Aguerd, a Moroccan international, might be traded to a country where he is more well-liked and where the pace of life is less hectic and intense.”
Supporters have been urging Moyes to bench captain Kurt Zouma and attacker Aguerd on Monday night when West Ham takes on Brentford, managed by Ivan Toney.
