Former West Ham defender Nayef Aguerd was assaulted before jetting off on international duty, according to reports.
The Morocco star, 29, was waiting to board a flight from Marseille airport ahead of matches against Bahrain and Congo when things took an unexpected turn in the VIP lounge.
According to BFM Marseille-Provence, Aguerd was approached by a man who asked for his phone number and a selfie.
The man then raised his voice and tried to slap the Olympique Marseille defender.
Swift Security Response
Airport security staff were swiftly on the scene and the man was apprehended by police at Marignane Airport on Monday afternoon.
Authorities questioned the attacker, who was described as being in a disturbed state, but Aguerd did not have time to file a formal complaint before heading off to join his team-mates.
The individual reportedly lost his temper when his requests were refused and attempted to strike the Moroccan international before fleeing. Security personnel intervened swiftly, allowing Aguerd to remain unharmed, whilst the assailant was caught and later questioned by authorities.
West Ham Career
Aguerd joined West Ham in a £30 million switch from Rennes in 2022, making his fee the fourth-highest paid by the Hammers after those for Sébastien Haller, Felipe Anderson and Kurt Zouma.
He made 61 appearances for the London club, scoring four goals, and played a key role in their 2023 Europa Conference League final triumph over Fiorentina.
However, after spending last season on loan at Real Sociedad, Aguerd was shipped out permanently by London Stadium bosses this summer.
Deadline Day Move
Marseille were the successful deadline day buyers on 1 September after lodging a bid reported to be around €23 million (approximately £20 million).
The centre-back signed a contract with the Ligue 1 club until 2030 and has made a strong start to his Marseille career.
Sporting director Mehdi Benatia has since revealed that manager Roberto De Zerbi, who previously managed Brighton, was desperate to sign him.
He said: “It’s not just because of me that Aguerd is here. The truth is, the coach wanted him.”
“In the United States, when the coach saw him during pre-season, he said, ‘Stop everything, I want Nayef Aguerd.'”
Impressive Start
Aguerd has featured in seven matches for Marseille and has already scored once under De Zerbi’s management, helping the club to a spectacular recovery in recent weeks.
The 29-year-old defender has been called up by Morocco manager Walid Regragui for the international break.
Morocco face Bahrain in a friendly match on 9 October before taking on Congo as part of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers five days later.
International Pedigree
Aguerd made his debut for the Morocco national team in a friendly against Albania in August 2016.
He represented Morocco at the 2018 African Nations Championship, helping his country achieve their first CHAN title, and was part of the squads for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2021 and 2023.
Most notably, Aguerd was included in Morocco’s 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he played all three group games and the Round of 16 match against Spain.
Morocco conceded only once in those four matches, as the Atlas Lions enjoyed a memorable tournament run.
Despite the unsettling incident at the airport, Aguerd has reportedly already landed in Rabat and is unlikely to give the matter much further attention as he focuses on his international commitments.
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Image Credit:
Nayef Aguerd — photo (cropped), licensed under CC BY 4.0
