If the West Ham United supporters were asked which of the two Marseille newbies would be missed the most at the London Stadium, surely no one would seriously pick Nayef Aguerd over Emerson Palmieri.
The latter became a bonafide fan favourite during his time in claret-and-blue.
Emerson will always have a place in West Ham hearts largely thanks to his outstanding performance in that glorious Conference League final triumph over Fiorentina. And, unlike a few other members of the squad, no one could really accuse the popular left-back of downing tools.
Emerson bid an emotional farewell to the Hammers before completing his move to the French giants for an initial £600,000 on deadline day. The respect and admiration he holds for his old employers, meanwhile, is most certainly reciprocated.
Now, it would be a stretch to say the same about Nayef Aguerd.
Yet, as L’OM reporter Nicolas Filhol explains on the Football Club de Marseille YouTube channel, Aguerd is the former West Ham United defender whose arrival at the Stade Velodrome has made the greatest early impression.
ACF Fiorentina v West Ham United FC - UEFA Europa Conference League Final 2022/23
West Ham United FC and Nayef Aguerd of (West Ham United FC to discuss during the UEFA Europa Conference League 2022/23 final match between ACF Fiorentina and West Ham United FC at Eden Arena on June 7, 2023 in Prague, Czech Republic. (Photo by Matteo Ciambelli/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
Marseille reporter reacts as Emerson Palmieri and Nayef Aguerd arrive from West Ham United
While Emerson did play 29 Ligue 1 matches for Lyon during a loan spell in the 2021/22 season, Aguerd returns to France having played four full campaigns in the top-flight with Dijon and Rennes respectively.
West Ham somehow convinced Marseille to spend £17.5 million on a centre-half who was part of a backline breached eight times in the first two matches of the new Premier League campaign.
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For such a fee, Filhol believes Aguerd is almost guaranteed to be a starter in Roberto de Zerbi’s Marseille XI.
“It would take time for new players who know Ligue 1 to adapt. A guy like Aguerd, he knows Ligue 1,” Filhol explains. “He played at Dijon, he played at Rennes, so it’s a player who is not arriving in unknown territory.
“I think if you recruit Aguerd, it’s not to put him on the bench, clearly. There is one that will be sacrificed. So, either you put [Leonardo] Balerdi in midfield as a hyper, hyper physical number six, or there’s one who’s going to be on the bench.”
Marseille beat West Ham to CJ Egan-Riley at the beginning of the window, the former Manchester City youngster arriving after his Burnley contract expired. World Cup winning Frenchman Benjamin Pavard then joined from Bayern Munich on deadline day, alongside Aguerd.
Filhol expects Facundo Medina to establish himself as De Zerbi’s go-to left-back ahead of Emerson, meanwhile.
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He likens Emerson’s arrival to that of Michael Amir Murillo. Another experienced full-back snapped up to add depth and competition, rather than to necessarily improve the first XI.
“If Pavard plays at right-back, you put Balerdi on the right [of the centre-halves], Aguerd on the left and Medina at left-back,” Filhol predicts.
“West Ham is tough. It’s still the Premier League. You take two West Ham players with Emerson and Aguerd, two players who also know each other. So, we’ll see how it goes.
“It’s true with that Emerson, we don’t expect much from him. But he can also be a nice surprise, that’s what I say that a little jokingly.
“He’s a bit like Murillo but with high-level experience.”
Edson Alvarez also left the London Stadium for a new start at Fenerbahce, but West Ham failed to get Guido Rodriguez off the books on deadline day.
Real Betis could not afford to bring the Argentina international back to La Liga, sporting director Manu Fajardo explained this week.