Aguerd’s emotional message

Photo by Sandra Ruhaut/Icon Sport via Getty Images

West Ham new boy Nayef Aguerd has confirmed his arrival at West Ham and possibly upstaged the  club’s media department in the process.

After the late dramas which suggested a Newcastle hijack, his failure to appear at Rush Green and awaiting to outcome of a medical, all seems to have been sorted.

He becomes the first David Moyes arrival of the summer after weeks of speculation that he was on his way from French club Rennes.

Now the Morocco international has made it clear that he is on his way to the east of London to become – for now anyway – the club’s fifth  central defender although all the speculation is that Issa Diop will be allowed to leave for the right offer.

We now await half a dozen or so signings of course but it’s reassuring to know that at least one is on board even though it may not be to a position most would have expected was overly necessary.

In an emotional post on social media Aguerd said: “People of Rennes, it is with great emotion that I announce that I played my last match under the colors of Lille

“It’s a difficult decision as I have spent exceptional times here since my arrival at the club in August 2020.  Between the discovery of the Champions League together, the qualification for the Conference League last season, the Europa League this season, the boiling atmospheres of Roazhon Park against PSG, Lyon, Leicester or OM, I leave the branded club.

“I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart all the components of the club:

“My teammates with whom I have fought 80 fights over the past two seasons and who are and will remain for me a second family. The supporters, RCK in mind, for their unfailing support in good and bad times.

“The shareholder, Mr Pinault, who allows the club to grow day by day and to be respected not only in France but also on the European scene. Club management: Nicolas Holveck  to whom I wish the greatest victory in his constant fight against illness and Olivier Cloarec with whom our paths have followed each other since 2018 in Dijon.

“Florian Maurice who came to pick me up in Dijon and for whom words are not enough  to describe our relationship, it’s not enough, Julien Stéphan, Bruno Génésio and all of their staff, two very high level coaches both in football and human terms.

“All of the club’s employees who allowed us to work in an extremely healthy environment I gave everything from the start to the last day in matches and in training, on and off the pitch and will be your supporter.  I sincerely wish you the best. Forever Nayef.”