West Ham United star Nayef Aguerd has left the field injured and in tears after a heroic performance for Morocco.
West Ham signed Aguerd from Rennes for £30m in the summer and David Moyes admitted he had been chasing the defender for two years.
Everyone has seen why during this World Cup as Aguerd has been a star performer for Morocco on their way to the last 16.
Aguerd has barely kicked a ball for West Ham after suffering a cruel ankle injury on just his second performance for the club at Rangers in pre-season.
He spent two months out before making a recent return in the Europa Conference League at FCSB.
The World Cup proved a great chance for Aguerd to get back up to full fitness ready for West Ham after the break.
But Moyes and everyone connected with the club will be seriously worried this evening.
Because West Ham star Aguerd has come off injured and in tears after a heroic performance for Morocco against Spain.
West Ham star Nayef Aguerd comes off injured and in tears after heroic performance for Morocco
The Atlas Lions held Spain to a 0-0 draw in 90 minutes and have been unlucky not to have won it in normal time.
But just after 80 minutes Aguerd – who had been a man of the match contender – stayed down hunched over in tears with a new injury.
It is not clear what the injury is or whether it could be a recurrence of the ankle injury which required surgery after joining West Ham in the summer. But he did appear to be holding his ankle when on the turf.
A stretcher was brought on but Aguerd instead walked off slowly, gingerly and in tears while shaking his head.
The West Ham man was consoled by his teammates as he left the pitch clearly – and understandably – emotional.
Everyone at West Ham will be feeling his pain.
If the injury is in any way serious West Ham will be forced into the transfer market for a defender in January given Kurt Zouma recently had a knee op.
Hammers fans now wait with bated breath to hear whether the Aguerd injury is serious.
We’ll all be keeping everything crossed that it isn’t.
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