One curious situation remains very much at the heart of West Ham United’s forward planning now with the January Transfer Window getting closer and player recruitment of course taking centre stage again. Hammers’ players out on-loan James Ward Prowse – him of the goal keeping dive in midfield – and Maxwel Cornet are both expected to return at the end of their loans to Nottingham Forest and Southampton respectively. Fair to say neither of them are setting the world on fire.
A more intriguing situation exists with Nayef Aguerd, who is on a season-long loan to Spanish club Real Sociedad where, it should be stressed, he is doing rather well.
Reported in the Spanish media as an ‘elite defender’ ( Estadiodeportivo.com), Aguerd is getting so much game time that his fitness levels are struggling to catch up after such a long period inactive at East London. Reported on Onefootball.com, Aguerd admitted, upon coming off at 85 minutes in his last outing: “I didn’t have an injury, just a cramp. It’s better that a team-mate comes in and gives it his all. I’m 100% ready.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve played so much and it’s hard for me. There are a lot of games every three days and I have to get into the rhythm quickly. Let’s see if the coach can continue to count on me. First of all, I want to thank the club who have given me everything to adapt very quickly”.
And from his very public ‘farewell’ made to West Ham fans in August on his loaning-out, you’d be mistaken for believing he’d been sold instead of loaned.
I can’t help but wonder if Aguerd is already pencilled in for a January permanent deal to Real Sociedad. All this talk and writing of new players ‘incoming’ in January across national and international sites, whilst West Ham profess ‘we’re skint’.
Something tells me the money will be found from somewhere. Selling Aguerd- whilst we wouldn’t get everything back – would put another £20-25 million into the January transfer kitty to fund the ‘new young striker’ purchase we keep reading about.