Bidding wars are always good news for selling clubs. So West Ham United will be delighted to learn that both AS Roma and Juventus appear determined to take Nayef Aguerd from the Premier League to Serie A.
Perhaps inspired by the successes of Napoli and Inter Milan – two clubs who have found real value in out-of-favour Premier League misfits – two more of Italy’s footballing giants are pursuing a defender whose time at the London Stadium is best left forgotten.
Big things were expected of Nayef Aguerd when he joined West Ham United in a £30 million deal from Rennes during the summer of 2022.
Now, after Real Sociedad decided against signing Aguerd permanently following an injury-interrupted loan spell in La Liga, the World Cup semi-finalist looks destined to be ushered unceremoniously out the back door.
Hammers News understands that Aguerd can leave for a fraction of his initial £30 million price-tag.
And Gianluca di Marzio now reports that Roma have joined Juventus in making an offer. One understood to be in the region of £15 million. In excess, by the way, of the sum placed on David Sullivan’s table by the Bianconeri.
Juventus coach Igor Tudor reacts to links with West Ham United’s Nayef Aguerd
Now, with Juventus facing Wydad Casablanca in the Club World Cup on Sunday, the Moroccan press were always likely to ask some probing questions with regards to a defender with 55 caps for the Atlas Lions.
Questions Igor Tudor, the man in the Juve dugout these days, had few qualms answering.
“I can’t talk about the transfer market,” Tudor begins, in quotes reported by Analkhabar. “But I have great respect for Moroccan players.
“They have a strong personality that distinguishes them on the field, in addition to their great technical talents.”
Tudor stopped short of confirming Juventus’ interest, then, but he certainly didn’t deny it either.
Aguerd sale will give Graham Potter the funds he needs to buy
After Bayer Leverkusen and Marseille shifted away from Aguerd last week – the 2024 Bundesliga champions are signing Jarell Quansah from Liverpool while the French giants beat West Ham to CJ Egan-Riley’s signature – a Serie A bidding war could be the thing which lights the fuse under Graham Potter’s summer.
Should West Ham bring in somewhere between £15 and £20 million, that will finally free up the funds Potter needs to start pursuing his top targets with renewed gusto.
Hammers News understands that West Ham contacted Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale about a month ago.
Head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay has chosen Raphael Onyedika of Club Brugge as the club’s number one midfield target, while West Ham have not given up on Strasbourg’s Emanuel Emegha or Galatasaray’s Baris Alper Yilmaz as they look to ease the goalscoring burden on Jarrod Bowen’s shoulders.
It has also been suggested, by the aforementioned Di Marzio, that Juventus could offer Daniele Rugani to West Ham as a makeweight in any Aguerd deal. The highly-experienced Italian international has accumulated five Serie A winners’ medals at the Allianz Stadium but spent last season on loan at Ajax after slipping down the pecking order.
Sections of the Juventus faithful would rather see ex-Newcastle man Lloyd Kelly depart instead, however, following a difficult few months in Turin for the one-time AFC Bournemouth captain.
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