News that West Ham are expecting large transfer bids for Nayef Aguerd late in the transfer window is slightly concerning. The interest is reportedly going to come from Saudi Arabia, with the Hammers understood to be holding out for £35M.
In theory, it all sounds very impressive. Moroccan International Aguerd is supposedly keen to move to the Saudi Pro League, which is known to be awash with money.
However, this is not the first time West Ham has had the carrot of a Saudi transfer dangled in front of them, only for nothing to materialise. Last season, Hammers forward Michail Antonio was the subject of an inquiry from an unnamed Saudi club, but most reports at the time seemed to agree that the Jamaican forward was not offered any increase on his West Ham salary.
More recently, there was speculation that West Ham sensation Mohammed Kudus was of interest to numerous wealthy Saudi clubs who could have purchased him for the bargain price of £85m before July 3rd. The Saudi Pro League’s summer transfer window opened at midnight on July 1st, so any interested clubs had at least 48 hours to pay the money and activate his release clause. Yet no bid was forthcoming thankfully.
I’m not for a moment suggesting there is no money in the Saudi Pro League. After all, Aleksandar Mitrovic decided to leave Fulham last year in a £46 million move to Al-Hilal, who agreed to pay the Serbian international £400k per week.
However, I would argue that there are more speculated big-money transfers to Saudi Arabia than actual blockbuster deals, it’s not quite the stuff of myth but most deals don’t happen.
If any club seriously wants to buy Nayef Aguerd from West Ham, they can bid for him now. Therefore, the stories that Saudi clubs can afford him but will choose to wait until the end of the window just don’t ring true.
It sounds suspicious and it would be foolish for West Ham if they base their defensive rebuilding program around an idle promise.
