West Ham United boss David Moyes has admitted it may be tough for Nayef Aguerd to get a Premier League game before the World Cup. The centre-back has been injured since July.
Aguerd is yet to make a competitive appearance with the Irons since joining the Hammers in June for £30m. Moyes raided Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais for the Moroccan to strengthen his backline in east London. But he suffered an injury in a pre-season friendly with Rangers.
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Moyes had awarded Aguerd his non-competitive debut against Reading three days earlier. He then got his first West Ham start in the tie with the Gers. But the ankle injury ultimately forced the 26-year-old to undergo surgery, which has kept him on the sidelines ever since.
Aguerd’s prolonged recovery leaves the 25-cap international in a race against time to build his fitness for the World Cup. Morocco meet 2018 finalists Croatia in their first Group F tie on November 23. The Atlas Lions take on Belgium on the 27th and Canada on December 1.
Moyes opens up on West Ham’s plans for Aguerd’s return from injury
Moyes has now opened up on West Ham’s plans for Aguerd to make his return from injury with football.london. The Scot is not confident the Moroccan will be able to feature in the Premier League before the top-flight hits pause for the World Cup in Qatar this November.
Instead, Moyes hopes Aguerd can build up enough fitness to feature in the Hammers’ two remaining Europa Conference League ties. The Irons finish off their Group B campaign with games against Silkeborg and FCSB on Thursday, October 27, and November 3 respectively.
Silkeborg’s visit to the London Stadium next week could come too soon for the 6 ft 2 star, though. So, Moyes wants Aguerd to make his return from injury with West Ham’s U21s.
“That would be ideally how he’d do it, and the boy wants to do that, and we need him to get some feel for the game,” Moyes said. “We don’t want to shock him by throwing him in.
“I think playing in the Premier League between now and the World Cup [is] maybe more difficult. If you are looking at it that way, we will see how it would be. If I can get him fit for any part of Silkeborg or any part of [FCSB] that would be great.
“It might just come a bit quick, the first one certainly. But I’m hoping that maybe these two games are a possibility. If I could fit in a [U21] game from somewhere or somewhere which can get him 45 minutes, I might look to do so.”
Thilo Kehrer has so far been Moyes’ favoured name to pair with Kurt Zouma in the Premier League this season. West Ham responded to losing Aguerd through injury by striking a deal with Paris Saint-Germain for the German. He cost the Irons an initial £10m before add-ons.
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