West Ham could soon get 'positive' over £30m star at London Stadium | OneFootball

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·25 November 2022

West Ham could soon get 'positive' over £30m star at London Stadium

Article image:West Ham could soon get 'positive' over £30m star at London Stadium

West Ham United and Morocco centre-back Nayef Aguerd’s playing time at the World Cup will be a huge boost for manager David Moyes, if the defender can return to the London Stadium unscathed, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The 26-year-old played 90 minutes in the African side’s World Cup stalemate with Croatia on Wednesday.


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What’s the latest on Aguerd?

Having signed for West Ham from Ligue 1 side Rennes in June for a fee of £30m, it was expected that the centre-back would become a Premier League regular in Moyes’ side as he looked to balance both domestic and Europa Conference League football this season.

However, an injury in a pre-season friendly with Rangers required ankle surgery, with the Moroccan having to wait until late October to make his competitive debut in a European clash at home to Silkeborg.

The centre-back made his Premier League debut in the Irons’ last fixture before the World Cup break, playing 75 minutes in a 2-0 home defeat to Leicester City, as he ramped up the minutes in his return from injury.

Despite the long lay-off from playing regular football, Aguerd was still selected by manager Walid Regragui to represent Morocco at this year’s World Cup in Qatar, and the defender came through the first game against Croatia unscathed with a clean sheet in the bank.

And O’Rourke believes that getting minutes under the belt of the centre-back can only be a positive ahead of next month’s return to Premier League action.

What has O’Rourke said about Aguerd?

O’Rourke told GIVEMESPORT: “It’ll be a positive for Moyes if Aguerd can get through the World Cup with Morocco and get good minutes under his belt and not suffer any recurrence of injury because his West Ham career hasn’t really started yet.

“He was a big-money signing in the summer to come into West Ham’s defence before picking up that injury in pre-season.

“He’s just worked his way back to fitness in the last few weeks.”

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Article image:West Ham could soon get 'positive' over £30m star at London Stadium

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What next for Aguerd at the World Cup?

Aguerd’s immediate attention will be focused on helping Morocco keep another clean sheet against group favourites Belgium on Sunday, before helping the Atlas Lions to a victory over Canada in their final group game in an unlikely bid to progress to a last-16 tie at the tournament.

Meanwhile, in east London, Moyes will be hoping that the centre-back can come through the tournament unscathed and full of confidence, as he looks set to finally give the summer signing a regular run of games in a bid to get the Irons away from the relegation battle they currently find themselves embroiled in.

For now, it looks as though Aguerd has gotten over his injury hell over the last few months, and the Moroccan can now look forward to a brighter future at the London Stadium and will hope to make his mark in the Premier League heading into the second half of the campaign.

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