Both Liverpool and Man City are interested in Nayef Aguerd.According to reports, Liverpool is planning to pursue West Ham player Nayef Aguerd in the January transfer window and thinks they can beat Manchester City to his signature by letting go of a well-liked long-serving talent.
The Reds said goodbye to six stars since the end of the previous season, so they spent the summer repurposing their midfield.
The sales of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson were considerably more unexpected than the departures of James Milner, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and the unproductive Arthur Melo, who were all anticipated for some time.
As a result, Jurgen Klopp had to make four additions to strengthen Liverpool’s engine room, with Ryan Gravenberch being the final to do so on the final day of the transfer window.
This coming Saturday against Wolves, the Netherlands international will be looking to make his Liverpool debut.
Klopp now has to decide how to best accommodate the Dutchman with fellow newcomers Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, and Waturu Endo.
It’s undoubtedly a pleasant problem to have, and Liverpool finally has a large pool of young players from which to choose in their midfield against struggling Wolves.
However, it is easy to forget that Klopp actually went into the summer window also looking to strengthen in defence.
Indeed, the Reds boss also had a new centre-half and a new right-back on his shopping list.
And it was only when Fabinho and Henderson left that Klopp’s attention was diverted to his midfield instead.
However, The Sun claims Klopp will revisit his plan to strengthen his defence in January. And they claim he is targeting a move for highly-rated West Ham centre-half Aguerd when the transfer window re-opens in just 112 days.
Liverpool face Man City competition for Nayef Aguerd
The Morocco international only arrived at the London Stadium in summer 2022, and, after taking him to establish himself, has since made himself one of David Moyes’ first-choice selections.
Indeed, the 27-year-old has made 33 appearances for the Hammers in all competitions, scoring three times, but finally beginning to justify the £30m fee West Ham paid Rennes for his services.
Now, however, and amid reports that Manchester City have also added Aguerd to their list of targets, it is Liverpool who are now planning an approach.
The Hammers, though, won’t part ways with Aguerd easily and will expect to double their money on a player now approaching his peak form.
That said, the paper claims Klopp will put all his energies into rebuilding his defensive unit next. Seven-season veteran Joel Matip is now 32 and has arguably let his standards drop in recent times.
His fellow defender Virgil van Dijk is also the same age and there are signs too that he is not quite the formidable force he once was.
However, with Matip’s deal expiring next summer and with the former Cameroon international no longer first choice, it is he whose place Aguerd would take.
Aguerd tipped to replace Matip at Liverpool
To that end, Liverpool are reportedly ready to listen to offers for the former Schalke man, who could see out his days back in the Bundesliga.
Any deal for Aguerd, who was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia over the summer, would see a positional change for Van Dijk.
The addition of the Moroccan left-footer would allow Van Dijk, who is frequently chosen as the left-sided center-half, to maybe switch to the right-side of the central defensive line.
As a result, Klopp will probably make the 30-times Moroccan international his top target in January, and a sizable bid is likely to make West Ham seriously consider accepting it.
And a quick path to the Liverpool first team might give them an advantage over City, who over the summer paid a lot of money to bring Josko Gvardiol there.
