West Ham United are eyeing a summer move for Moroccan centre-back Nayef Aguerd from Ligue 1 side Rennes this summer according to recent reports.
The Daily Mail recently revealed that The Hammers were looking to add depth to their squad after an impressive season that has seen them qualify for Europe and reach the semi-final of the Europa League.
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One their list of targets is defender Nayef Aguerd, with The Evening Standard recently reporting that talks between Rennes and West Ham over Aguerd were progressing.
Any move is expected to cost £15m with the player contracted until 2025. Moyes is searching for a defender who is fast and can provide balance on the left.
If he sings then one of the players he will be competing with for a spot in the starting line-up is Craig Dawson. Despite Dawson being Premier League proven, Aguerd would be an upgrade and an option for the long term.
When you compare both players this season, the 26-year-old excels in a number of areas and offers attributes different to Dawson. He has recorded a higher number of combined tackles and interceptions at 84 compared to the Englishman's 63.
It's in possession where he is the most impressive, completing 26 more progressive carries of the ball than Dawson this season and 401 more touches in the defensive third, despite playing fewer games.
The Morrocan international is even good in the air, having won 108 aerial duels this season compared to 103 won by West Ham's 32-year-old.
Ultimately he offers a lot more than Dawson, and even though he has played a massive part in The Hammers' successes this season, if they want to push on for a Champions League place it's about time they upgraded him.
Aguerd would be a complete bargain and offers all round skill as well as experience on the international stage with 19 caps for his country.
He's even been described as a “cerebral person” by former Rennes manager Julien Stephen.
It's set to be an exciting summer ahead for manager David Moyes and it's important that they spend the money they are given wisely.
They'll struggle to compete with the bigger clubs in the league for the top players, so their best bet is to buy smart, and Aguerd should certainly be one of the first on the list - at £15m, he's an absolute bargain.
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