‘Nayef Aguerd snubs Graham Potter over West Ham return’
Graham Potter could be under pressure at West Ham right from the start of next season, and his plans for the coming campaign have already been dealt a blow.
The 49-year-old took charge at the London Stadium back in January when he replaced Julen Lopetegui as Hammers boss.
Despite a 2-0 win over Man United at Old Trafford on Sunday (11 May) results have largely been disappointing for the former Brighton and Chelsea manager.
There have been suggestions that Potter will have to prove himself in the first quarter of next season if he wants to stay at West Ham, and he now faces a fight to keep a player who could help him to do that.
Nayef Aguerd wants out after Real Sociedad loan
Last month, Football Insider reported that at least ten players will leave the West Ham first-team squad for various reasons at the end of this season.
Now it appears as though there could be more departures beyond that, following the latest update on Nayef Aguerd.
Back in the summer, West Ham allowed Aguerd to leave the club, with the centre-back eventually joining Real Betis on a season-long loan.
According to an update from talkSPORT, Potter had been planning to reintegrate Aguerd into his squad for next season as a cheap reinforcement, with the club apparently unlikely to be able to invest heavily for PSR reasons.
| Nayef Aguerd 2024/25 La Liga stats | Total (SofaScore) |
| Appearances | 21 |
| Pass Success Rate | 88% |
| Tackles per Game | 1.4 |
| Interceptions per Game | 0.6 |
| Clearances per Game | 4.2 |
| Duel Success Rate | 68% |
Bringing the Moroccan international back into the set-up would have been a way to save money at the London Stadium, although that now seems unlikely to happen.
It is stated that Aguerd has made it clear he does not want to return to West Ham this summer, and has instead demanded a move away from the club.
In order to sanction a departure, the Hammers will apparently look to recoup a significant portion of the £30million fee they paid French side Rennes to sign the centre-back in the summer of 2022.
Aguerd currently still has two years remaining on his contract with West Ham, securing his future at the London Stadium until the summer of 2027 as things stand.
West Ham in tricky situation over centre-back options
Football Insider Verdict
The fact that Aguerd is not keen on a return to the club is something of a problem for the Hammers, given that mass exodus means they are going to need reinforcements for next season.
Indeed there are suggestions that Jean-Clair Todibo will push for a move away from West Ham in the summer despite triggering a clause to make his loan move permanent.
Aguerd would have helped provide cover and depth at centre-back in such an eventuality, so missing out on him as well puts them under more pressure to sign in that position.
Considering they will need to recruit in several other areas and their situation when it comes to PSR, that may make it difficult for the club to get everything they need in the market.
If that proves to be the case, then it could be hard for Potter to get the results he needs to keep the pressure off him at West Ham.
Even so, after such a disappointing campaign for the Hammers it may be understandable why the likes of Aguerd are reluctant to return when he may feel he can be part of a more successful setup elsewhere.