Nayef Aguerd’s transfer could have reached 19 million euros… everything collapsed at the last moment
Nayef Aguerd was very close to returning to Real Sociedad. OM and the Spanish club had reached an agreement, the Moroccan had undergone his medical examination and the deal could have reached 19 million euros. Then everything collapsed.
The arrangement provided for a paid loan of 2 million euros, accompanied by a non-obligatory purchase option of 17 million. According to L’Équipe, Aguerd had undergone his medical examination on Wednesday and only needed to arrange his return to San Sebastián, where he had already played in 2024-2025.
On Bladi.net : A (very) big club for Nayef Aguerd?
But on Thursday evening, the deal suddenly fell through. And two versions are at odds.
The Basque press, reflecting Real Sociedad’s position, mentions reservations that emerged during the medical examination. The Moroccan defender had undergone surgery in mid-March to treat persistent pubalgia, and some tests reportedly did not fully reassure the Spanish club.
Two completely different versions
The Atlas Lion’s entourage offers another explanation. The problem reportedly stemmed from a disagreement with Pellegrino Matarazzo over his return to competition. The coach wanted to be able to rely on Aguerd quickly, while the player reportedly preferred a more gradual return after several physically challenging months.
This caution is explained by his recent pubalgia, which ultimately kept him out of the 2026 World Cup. Aguerd had resumed team training with Morocco before the competition, but was not considered sufficiently ready to play.
Since then, the defender has continued his fitness work in Marseille. He did not play in OM’s friendly matches, but had taken part in training during the camp in the Netherlands.
In Marseille, the failure of the deal came as a surprise. The club even insists that the Moroccan’s physical condition is now “excellent,” a position that contrasts with the reservations attributed to Real Sociedad.
The deal also carried significant financial implications. Bought for 23 million euros from West Ham in 2025 and under contract until 2030, Aguerd would have enabled OM to save his salary this season and consider a sale for 17 million euros.
On Bladi.net : Nayef Aguerd Transfer News: Marseille Opens Exit Door
Instead of returning to a club and a league he knows well, the Moroccan therefore remains in Marseille, with his future once again uncertain just weeks before the end of the transfer window.
