Rennes defender Nayef Aguerd has opened up on rejecting a Premier League move last summer after being heavily linked with West Ham United.
The Hammers were heavily linked with a move to sign the 25-year-old centre-back for around £17 million during the summer transfer widow (GFFN).
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Instead he ended up staying in France with Rennes, however.
West Ham boss David Moyes has been desperately trying to bolster his central defensive ranks at the London Stadium over the past two transfer windows.
West Ham did sign Kurt Zouma in the summer but missed out on any new additions in January.
Angelo Ogbonna is still out inured and will be 34 before the start of next season. Meanwhile, Craig Dawson will be 32 soon and the jury is still very much out on Issa Diop.
It is clear to see that the Hammers need to sign a top-class centre-back and Rennes defender Nayef Aguerd would have been a superb addition for us.
Rennes defender Nayef Aguerd opens up on rejecting Premier League move
The 25-year-old sat down for an exclusive interview with Ouest France yesterday.
And the 17-capped Morocco international admitted that he stayed with Rennes because he was excited by the project at Roazhon Park:
“I told myself I still had a year left to prove myself. When you’re a player, you’re under contract, it’s the club that chooses. They didn’t want me to leave, even if I had offers. They chose to extend me by showing me that I was important to the club, in the dressing room. I signed directly and showed that I was part of the project.”
We would love to see West Ham go back in for Aguerd in the summer. He could be available for around £17 million according to GFFN.
The 25-year-old has been described as a brilliant defender by Get Football News France.
And he’s left-footed so is the ideal long-term replacement for Ogbonna.
In 24 Ligue 1 appearances for Stade Rennais so far this season, Aguerd has averaged one interception, 4.1 clearances and 0.5 blocks per game. He has also won 3.2 aerial duels per match (Who Scored).
The Morocco international has made 69.1 passes per game on average and recorded an impressive completion rate of 89.2% (Who Scored).
Aguerd really does have everything. Whether West Ham will have any chance at all of signing him in the summer remains to be seen though.
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