West Ham United transfer news: Nayef Aguerd and Maxwel Cornet January update after Saudi and Everton links
Roshane Thomas reported on the outlet’s website on 8 January that despite interest in the Moroccan defender from both an “unnamed Saudi club” and Serie A’s Roma and AC Milan he is “unlikely” to leave this month.
Similarly, while Cornet was a target for his former Burnley boss Sean Dyche at Everton in the summer the lack of offers for the Ivorian since means he “looks set to stay at West Ham for the remainder of the season despite his lack of playing time”.
The Irons are expected to need to move players on in order to make space for and fund incoming deals currently, so an inability to shift either Aguerd or Cornet would likely have an impact on pursuits for Wolves defender Max Kilman and Ajax attacker Steven Bergwijn.
It is bound to be a source of frustration if players who the club are done with remain this month, not least if it means the signings David Moyes and Tim Steidten want to make then become impossible.
At least the manager has been getting plenty of use out of Aguerd, but Cornet’s career at the London Stadium didn’t really got off the ground last season and now appears it never will.
The winger has only made 29 total appearances for the Hammers in all competitions over a season and a half, and while he has contributed six assists all of them have come in Europe.
After a nine-goal campaign for relegated Burnley two years ago his return in East London has been very disappointing, but at the same time it is somewhat strange that Moyes sees absolutely no mileage in giving him minutes in the Premier League on the off-chance that he might find some form.
Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma are also both available for transfer thanks to inconsistent form but have been preferred regularly despite injuries to starters seemingly meaning there should be more opportunities to go around.
After signing for £17.5million two summers ago [Sky Sports] it is confusing that the manager has apparently never trusted Cornet, just as he appeared not to with fellow 2022 arrival Flynn Downes.
As with Aguerd he may as well look to get some return on investment out of the wide man over the rest of the season though if it is the case that neither are going anywhere imminently.
