Selling overpriced, ageing players in a summer market awash with prime English youngsters flushed with success after the Euro u21 triumph is going to be very hard work for West Ham. What makes it all the more frustrating is the ‘sell before buying’ policy which the club have so far stuck with as targets disappear before the Hammers even get into the ring.
Nayef Aguerd is slowly running out of options. Reportedly reluctant to return to the club who bought him three years ago for £30 million, the Moroccan has spent the season on loan at Real Sociedad after a strange emotional farewell to Hammers fans suggested he’d burned his boats and may never be headed back.
Real Sociedad can’t afford him and have just confirmed a ‘farewell’ via social media. Roma’s interest has dissipated as their prime proponent is heading off to become Sunderland’s sporting director. Bayer Leverkusen’s reported winter interest has evaporated. The last hope for Aguerd must be Juventus but as things stand, Aguerd will be stepping out of a taxi again at Stratford next week for pre-season.
Would it be so bad? As West Ham’s third-choice centre back, Aguerd ahead of Mavropanos in the pecking order can certainly do a job – Potter was quoted as wanting to work with Aguerd. After a very successful season-long workout at Real Sociedad (assuming his knee problems are resolved) the fact that there is ‘no interest’ in Aguerd could actually work to West Ham’s favour and reunite them with a what is still a pretty good centre-back at zero cost.
There are worse players to be ‘stuck’ with. Mentioning no names.
A lesson for him don’t bird bridges and anyway if we were expecting £30 million no chance
Honestly would we be so desperate to go rid of him if he was so good,looks like a this’ll do job as usual
It would be good if he was prepared to knuckle down and do his best for us. Also, Potter loves a back 3 and he would fit in well on the left. Surprised there has been no interest from Saudi though, that would solve both our problems.
Having a left sided, left footed defender, who can play in a back 3, as Potter often used, sounds like a reasonable idea!
However, if Aguerd doesn’t want to be at West Ham, then you have to accept his choice and move him on.
I would have, before we pushed him out moved him into Rice’s position that would have tightened the defense up left Soucek in the attacking role and secured us in set plays then we might have got a happier summer and am easier start to the season