David Moyes should try Nayef Aguerd experiment at West Ham United after comments from former coach
Nayef Aguerd’s former coach revealed that he used to play in midfield – something that David Moyes might be keen to try at West Ham.
Aguerd was signed for £30million by the Hammers in the summer [Sky Sports], but the Moroccan is yet to show the same performance levels for West Ham that he’s shown for his nation at the World Cup this month.
The physical demands of the Premier League have made it hard for Aguerd to settle down in the West Ham defence, especially considering the poor form of many players around him.
He’s shown for Morocco in the World Cup that he’s a very capable defender, but the latest comments from his former academy coach might tempt Moyes to try something completely different.
Speaking to The Athletic, Nasser Larguet – who used to coach Aguerd in the Mohammed VI Football Academy – said: “Nayef was 12 when I recruited him for the academy.
“He was so grateful for the opportunity but when Nayef was 14, he went through a phase where he struggled. I warned him on two occasions that if he doesn’t improve, he will lose his place in the academy. It was a test to see how he would respond. He was good technically but I pushed him hard because I knew he could be even better.
“At the time, Nayef was a No 10 but we had so many attacking midfielders.
“One day before training he pulled me aside and said, ‘If I want to make it as a professional, I need to change my position’. I was so surprised and he said, ‘Coach, we have so many good midfielders but we don’t have many defenders. I can stand out more from that position’. He took a risk and it’s the best decision he made.”
It’s certainly a bizarre and stark career change for Aguerd, but the 26-year-old still boasts a lot of the technical ability that he picked up from his midfield years.
His passing, dribbling and overall ball control are very impressive, and Moyes may be tempted to push him into midfield to see how he copes. Attacking midfield might be too radical, but Aguerd’s defensive capabilities could make him a fantastic defensive midfielder.
It seems inevitable that Declan Rice will leave the Hammers in the summer, and Moyes will suddenly be scrambling for a new defensive midfielder.
Rice’s transfer fee will of course fund a new replacement if Moyes has someone in mind, but the Scotsman might have a great option staring him in the face in Aguerd.