By George Overhill

26th May, 2022 | 4:10pm

West Ham United move forward for Nayef Aguerd at incredible low price

West Ham are closing in on a deal for Rennes defender Nayef Aguerd to arrive at the club this summer as talks have been “stepped up”, The Mail reports.

The Guardian had previously reported that the Moroccan had been identified as a “key target” for David Moyes after the Hammers struggled badly with injuries at the position this season.

They went into the loss at Chelsea in April (24 April) with Craig Dawson as the only fit centre-back, a game where he was then sent off.

According to The Mail, the deal for Aguerd is set to only cost £15million, for a player who has been “on the radar” of the manager for a year and “impressed” at the African Cup of Nations for his country.

The 26-year-old is said to have a balance of technical ability, pace, and aerial strength, and made 40 appearances in all competitions this season.

Steal

While 25 years ago that price would have been enough to be a world record fee, in today’s market that is incredible value if he is everything the club believes him to be.

Moyes, famously averse to spending over the odds for players, is no doubt doubly keen to get this deal over the line if that is all that it will cost.

Reports elsewhere have suggested Aguerd is worth closer to £10million more than that, which still isn’t prohibitive if he turns into a regular Premier League starter.

The squad is in desperate need of some additions who can actually make contributions, after two of last summer’s signings Nikola Vlasic, and especially Alex Kral, added little.

Issa Diop looks to be on the way out and the fitness of Kurt Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna have question marks.

An established international defender, who featured regularly in one of the top five leagues in Europe, and in the Europa Conference League, sounds like a decent signing but it is never a sure thing.

However, if the price is £15million it represents much less of a risk for an English Premier League side when starting centre-backs can cost many multiples of that amount.

If it proves to be that low and the deal is completed soon it would be a pleasant surprise for Hammers fans.

In other West Ham news, the club met with the chief of a European giant to discuss interest in an international goalscorer.

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