Marignane, France — Nayef Aguerd, a defender for Ligue 1 club Marseille and former player for West Ham United, was the target of a physical assault at an airport this week as he prepared to join Morocco’s national team. The incident occurred at the Marseille Provence Airport, where the 29-year-old was approached by a fan asking for a photograph.
According to reports, the encounter took a dangerous turn when the individual attempted to slap Aguerd. Thankfully, security staff and local authorities intervened swiftly to manage the situation. In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Aguerd reassured fans that he was not harmed, describing the incident as more startling than injurious. “Everything is now in the hands of the police,” he wrote, emphasizing his focus on his career with Marseille and his commitment to representing Morocco with pride.
Aguerd is set to join teammates Sofyan Amrabat and Noussair Mazraoui for upcoming matches against Bahrain and Congo. With a total of 61 appearances and four goals during his tenure at West Ham, Aguerd transitioned to Marseille earlier this season after a loan stint at Real Sociedad. His original move to West Ham came in a £30 million deal from Rennes in 2022.
The transfer to Marseille occurred after both Aguerd and manager Roberto De Zerbi identified a mutual interest. De Zerbi, impressed with Aguerd during pre-season evaluations in the United States, specifically requested his inclusion in the squad. According to Marseille’s sporting director, Medhi Benatia, the coach made it clear that signing Aguerd was a priority.
Under De Zerbi’s leadership, Marseille has seen an encouraging start to the current campaign, positioning themselves second in Ligue 1 after seven matches, just one point behind the reigning champions, Paris Saint-Germain. As Aguerd prepares for his international duties, he remains optimistic about continuing to contribute to Marseille’s success and making a positive impact on the field for his national team.