West Ham United transfer news as Nayef Aguerd gets Saudi Arabia contract offer now
Al-Ittihad are attempting to sign West Ham United defender Nayef Aguerd with an offer that would see him earn 10 times his current wage, according to Goal.
The Saudi Arabian site reported on Monday (4 September) that the Saudi club have turned to the Hammers man in the final days of their transfer window after Sergio Ramos elected to sign for Sevilla instead of making the switch this summer.
Aguerd’s contract at the London Stadium runs until 2027 and he has even been crucial in David Moyes’ side’s early season success, but the Moroccan defender has given his approval to Al-Ittihad but has not reached an agreement with the Irons for the transfer.
The Saudi transfer window closes on 7 September and Al-Ittihad are keen to strengthen their defence after former West Brom defender Ahmed Hegazi suffered a cruciate ligament injury, leaving them short of options in defence and they view Aguerd as a key target.
Huge money
You can’t blame players like Aguerd for having their heads turned by this sort of money, the wages being touted if he were to make the switch this summer truly are life-changing, not that he won’t be earning impressive money at the London Stadium currently.
But Moyes and those around him at West Ham will likely have no interest in allowing their key centre-back to depart in the coming days, as with the Premier League transfer window now shut, they have no opportunity to replace him if he were to depart.
The Hammers have worked hard throughout this summer to ensure they have a competitive squad across the entirety of the pitch and should Aguerd depart, they would very quickly be left with a considerable hole right in the heart of their backline.
West Ham haven’t been bullied throughout the summer, refusing to budge on their valuations of players both incoming and outgoing and they are unlikely to break that trend now. They would have to be offered insane amounts of money to allow the 27-year-old to depart now.
You’d have to imagine Aguerd will be wearing claret and blue until January at least.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers have agreed the terms of Jesse Lingard’s return to the club