Liverpool are keeping an eye on West Ham defender Nayef Aguerd as Jurgen Klopp looks to overhaul his back four next summer… but Reds could face competition from Man City
- Nayef Aguerd is on the radar of Liverpool and Manchester City
- Jürgen Klopp wants to overhaul Liverpool’s aging defense
- Reds centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip are both 32
Liverpool and Manchester City are both reportedly keeping tabs on West Ham defender Nayef Aguerd, as Jurgen Klopp steps up plans to overhaul his defence.
According to The sunThe Moroccan international has attracted interest from the two Premier League clubs after joining West Ham from Rennes for £30 million last summer.
Aguerd made 30 appearances in all competitions for the Hammers in his first season in England after recovering from an ankle injury that sidelined him for the first three months of the campaign.
After returning just before the World Cup break, Aguerd established himself as a key figure in West Ham’s back four, alongside Kurt Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna.
Moyes has once again committed to the partnership between the left-footed Moroccan and the right-footed Zouma this season, with Aguerd starting three of the four Premier League games so far.
Nayef Aguerd is reportedly on the radar of both Liverpool and Manchester City
Jurgen Klopp is believed to be keen to add new legs to Liverpool’s back four
The latter missed the 3-1 away win at Brighton through suspension after being sent off in the 3-1 win against Chelsea, in which he opened the scoring with his third goal for the club.
Aguerd, who has 34 caps for Morocco, has an impressive success rate as a centre-back, scoring nine goals in 91 appearances in Ligue 1 for Dijon and Rennes.
The 27-year-old Hammers defender fits Liverpool’s age profile as Klopp looks to add some new legs to his defence.
Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip are both 32, while Joe Gomez is 26 but has made just one Premier League start this season.
Ibrahima Konate is 24 but has made just 55 appearances in all competitions since joining from RB Leipzig two years ago due to injury setbacks.
Klopp has overhauled Liverpool’s midfield for a fee of £150 million this summer, with Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis MacAllister, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo arriving at Anfield.
Liverpool’s first-choice centre-backs Joel Matip (left) and Virgil Van Dijk (right) are both 32
Meanwhile, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Naiby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner all left.
Conversely, Kyle Walker is City’s only defender on the wrong side of thirty.
John Stones is 29, Manuel Akanji and Nathan Aké are both 28 and Ruben Dias is 26.
Josko Gvardiol, who joined from RB Leipzig for £78 million this summer, does not turn 22 until January.