Who is Nayef Aguerd? West Ham's new big money centre-back

Rennes had one of the better defensive records in Ligue 1 last season. A return of 40 goals conceded was the joint-fourth best in the division and the solidity combined with an impressive attack - only PSG (90) scored more goals than Les Rennais (82) - saw them secure a top-four finish. 

That defensive solidity didn't go unnoticed either. Nayef Aguerd was the key man at the back for Bruno Genesio's side and his form attracted interest from Premier League sides, notably West Ham. The Hammers are understandably looking to add to the defence this summer following Angelo Ogbonna's season-ending injury sustained in November. At 34 years of age, West Ham also need to prepare for life without the Italian. 

In addition, Issa Diop struggled to make a sustained impact for David Moyes' side, and with the 25-year-old expected to depart this summer, that would leave only Craig Dawson and Kurt Zouma as the viable first choice centre-backs going forward. Aguerd, then, will swell those ranks. Moyes has prioritised a left-footed centre-back this summer and the Moroccan fits the bill well. 

With European football once again on the cards at the London Stadium next season, Moyes needs strength in depth and Aguerd, alongside his Champions and Europa Conference League experience, could prove a shrewd addition to the side. Combined with a preference to play on the left at the back, there is greater balance to the defence, all the while granting Moyes tactical flexibility when choosing a specific system to play, be it the favoured 4-2-3-1 or a three-man defence depending on the opponent. 

West Ham are getting themselves a dominant centre-back who is difficult to get the better of in the air, which is crucial for a Hammers outfit that returned just a 50.4% aerial success rate in the Premier League last season. Aguerd outperformed that return, winning 65.1% of his headed battles, that the 19th best in Ligue 1 last season, to reinforce a statistically calculated WhoScored strength of 'aerial duels'. 

This is a crucial quality to his game that works both ways. West Ham have become a potent threat from set-pieces and, excluding penalties, 14 goals from set-piece situations was the fifth best in the Premier League last season. Since joining Rennes from Dijon in 2020, Aguerd has scored five league goals, all of which were from set-piece situations, and four of those were headers. Aguerd, then, should fit right in under Moyes. 

However, Aguerd's best quality is arguably his ball playing ability. Rennes more often than not dominated opponents in Ligue 1 last season, noted in that a possession average of 56.2% was the fourth best in the division. Much of this was down to the Morocco international as Aguerd picked out a teammate with 89% of his 70.8 passes per game, the latter the eighth best in France's top tier last term. 

Crucially is that both returns were better than any other West Ham centre-back, so Aguerd will bring with him an element of composure to east London that has previously been found wanting. This would allow the Hammers to not only play a more patient style of play next season, but also aid in keeping the pressure off the defence given Aguerd's cool-headedness when it comes to distributing the ball from the back. 

When under the cosh, this is an important asset to be able to call upon as it'll help West Ham cut out potentially costly mistakes in defence. However, when it comes to getting the ball forward quickly, or spreading to the wings, Aguerd is able to carry out this duty with aplomb. Of outfielders, only Johan Gastien (299) and Jordan Ferri (220) made more accurate long balls than Aguerd (173), with the 26-year-old able to get play upfield without a second's hestitation should the opportunity present itself. 

Considering no team scored more counter-attacking goals than West Ham (6) in the Premier League last season, being able to transition from defence to attack at the drop of a hat is crucial.  For a reported £30m, Aguerd should prove a solid piece of business for West Ham. Rennes make a significant profit on a defender they signed two years ago, while the Hammers bolster in a key area with a European experienced centre-back, who comfortably held his own against Tottenham and Leicester in the Conference League last season.