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Sources: Major update on West Ham talks to sign Aguerd
West Ham have been told it will cost up to £16million to lure defender Nayef Aguerd from Rennes, Football Insider understands.
This site broke the news on Tuesday (6th July) that the Hammers have opened preliminary talks with the Ligue 1 club over a deal for the 25-year-old Morocco international.
A West Ham source has told Football Insider that chairman David Sullivan is spearheading the club’s pursuit of Aguerd after he was identified as a top target.
The potential fee being discussed is around the £15-16m mark.
The Irons are prepared to pay a significant sum for a centre-back ahead of the new Premier League season and Aguerd talks are ongoing.
West Ham have received encouraging bulletins from talent spotters about the versatile defender, who can also slot in at left-back.
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He is not the only left-sided centre-back on Moyes’ target list, with Villarreal’s Ramiro Funes Mori also being considered.
Like Aguerd, the former Everton defender can play at both centre-back and left-back, which are key requirements for the Londoners.
Football Insider revealed on 26th March that the Irons have made the capture of a top-level centre-back a priority this summer.
The summer exit of Fabian Balbuena has left Moyes with three senior centre-backs in Issa Diop, Angelo Ogbonna and Craig Dawson.
Of those, Ogbonna and Dawson, who may be expected to start the season as the first-choice pairing, are 33 and 31 respectively.
Aguerd‘s value has rocketed since he joined Rennes from Dijon last summer for a fee of around £3.6million.
He had an impressive debut campaign at the side that finished 17th in last season’s Ligue 1, making 35 league starts among 40 appearances in all competitions.
In other news, finance guru in £10million reveal as Sky update on West Ham transfer.