The West Ham United faithful will have very obvious issues with Olivier Dall’Oglio’s suggestion that Nayef Aguerd leaves the Premier League outfit for Marseille as a better player.
It’s been a funny few days of revisionism with regards to a defender who joined the Hammers in a £30 million deal and left, just 40 top-flight starts later, for a near-50 per cent price reduction.
Kurt Zouma called Aguerd his best-ever teammate, the former West Ham United captain snubbing Declan Rice, Jarrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Paqueta in favour of a man alongside whom he suffered 14 defeats out of 33.
In fact, West Ham would concede four goals or more on six separate occasions with Zouma and Nayef Aguerd together at the heart of their backline.
Yet, in conversation with Africa Foot, the Morocco international’s former head coach at Dijon – Olivier Dall’Oglio – joins Zouma in suggesting that his fairly miserable spell in East London was not quite as bad as the results, or the eye test, indicates.
Nayef Aguerd looks dejected after West Ham's defeat to Sunderland
Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
Olivier Dall’Oglio shares theory about Nayef Aguerd’s West Ham United spell
West Ham convinced Marseille to spend £17.5 million on taking Aguerd back across the Channel on deadline day.
Amid considerable criticism of their recruitment department, and while a £12.5 million loss was made, that 20 million euro sale undoubtedly felt like pretty impressive business.
Especially considering that Aguerd made up one third of that calamitous backline which conceded eight goals in West Ham’s first two Premier League matches this season. Mathematically the worst start in the competition’s history.
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Yet, Dall’Oglio argues that Aguerd’s struggles in claret and blue owe more to his injury issues than a lack of defensive ability. The one-time Brest, Strasbourg and St Etienne coach also feels that swapping West Ham for Marseille is a step up, with Champions League football on offer at the Stade Velodrome.
“I understand that Nayef Aguerd was one of OM’s priorities, both in terms of the technical staff and the management. So, he arrived at a club [who] wanted him, and that’s a very good thing,” Dall’Oglio argues.
“He knows Ligue 1 well. It’s a great challenge for him, since he’ll be playing at a prestigious and ambitious club. I think he knows what he’s getting into. Marseille is a place where there’s a lot of enthusiasm, pressure, and expectations. But he’s experienced, he knows the high level.
“The Premier League is undoubtedly the best league in the world. But he’s coming back to a very big club, which will be playing in the Champions League and aiming for the top spots, which is not the case for West Ham.
“Aguerd knows how to adapt wherever he goes, and I have no doubts about his success in Marseille. I just hope he’ll be less prone to injuries because, since arriving in Europe, he’s been regularly confronted with them.”
Olivier Dall'Oglio during a French Ligue 1 match between RC Lens and Montpellier
Photo by SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images
Former Dijon coach backs Aguerd to shine under Roberto de Zerbi
Dall’Oglio does make a fair point, even if those injuries alone cannot adequately explain why Aguerd was part of a defence hit for six by Arsenal, five by Newcastle and Fulham, and four by Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Brighton.
Aguerd missed 34 matches for club and country between the summer of 2022 and the summer of 2025.
His loan spell in La Liga last season was also cut short due to fitness issues. Real Sociedad opted against signing Aguerd on a permanent basis, precipitating his brief return to the West Ham XI and then eventual French homecoming.
While Marseille expert Nicolas Filhol expects Aguerd to play a key role under Roberto de Zerbi, Dall’Oglio also believes he has the characteristics to aid a L’OM outfit who are never too far away from an implosion.
“He’s experienced. He’s a 29-year-old player who has already played in three of Europe’s top leagues,” Dall’Oglio adds. “He played in the Champions League with Rennes and won the Europa Conference League with West Ham in 2023.
“With his national team, of which he is a key player, he played in the Africa Cup of Nations and the last World Cup.
“He will also bring his serenity, his calm, his ability to pass, and his mindset. He is a warrior, a true competitor. Now, he is aware that there is competition in defence at OM, and that he will have to adapt to De Zerbi’s system. But what is interesting about Aguerd is that he understands quickly.
“His time in England and Spain allowed him to improve even more. At Marseille, he can become a leader, as he is with the Moroccan national team.”
Ironically, West Ham signed former De Zerbi favourite Igor Julio to take Aguerd’s place, as well as his number five shirt.