West Ham will reportedly need to fork out £20 million to sign Rennes defender Nayef Aguerd this summer.
According to a report from The Guardian, West Ham United are in the market for a new defender who can play on the left side of the central defence. They have set their sights on Nayef Aguerd as one of their top targets, although it appears the Premier League outfit may have to fork out £20 million in order to convince Ligue 1 club Rennes to sell the centre-back.
Aguerd was closely linked with a move to West Ham last summer. But the move did not materialise, with the player ending up signing a contract extension at Rennes. The Hammers themselves ended up settling for Kurt Zouma on a permanent deal.
While Moyes will be more than happy to have secured the services of the Frenchman, it appears the West Ham coach is looking for further reinforcements in the defensive unit. His team has struggled with a plethora of injuries this term, with Angelo Ogbonna missing a chunk of the campaign due to his knee injury.
Although the former Juventus man could be fit for next season, Moyes wants to add some much-needed quality to the West Ham defensive unit. Nayef Aguerd fits the bill perfectly as the Moroccan international is a handy ball-playing defender who can operate on the left hand side of central defence.
The 26-year-old is indeed adept at bringing the ball out from the game. It is combined with his game-reading ability and an imposing 1.90m frame that should make him an upgrade over Craig Dawson and an ideal partner for Zouma at the heart of the West Ham defence.
With almost 100 appearances in Ligue 1 and 19 caps for the Moroccan national team, Aguerd offers considerable experience at the highest level of football. And for a fee of just £20 million, he could be nothing less than a bargain for West Ham United this summer.
That said, it remains to be seen whether Aguerd can thrive in the much more physically astute Premier League football. He will be up against quality attackers and with Dawson and Ogbonna offering stiff competition, there should be no room for error, thus putting immense pressure on the Moroccan international.
Other than Aguerd, West Ham have been recently linked with a move for Konstantinos Mavropanos. The Stuttgart defender is set to return to Arsenal in the summer and could be available for a cheaper fee, although he may not offer as much experience at the highest level.