Morocco defender Nayef Aguerd, currently at Marseille, is being linked with a return to fellow Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais in what would be one of the more eye-catching moves of the French window.
The 30-year-old centre-back, who joined Marseille from West Ham United on 1 September 2025 for a reported €23m fee, is under contract at the Stade Velodrome until 30 June 2030. Any deal is therefore expected to be complex, with Marseille in a strong position to negotiate over a player whose market value is listed at around €15m.
Aguerd enjoyed a highly successful first spell in Rennes colours between 2020 and 2022, a period that helped earn him his move to the Premier League and ultimately back to France. His familiarity with Ligue 1 is extensive, with more than 100 top-flight appearances in France and a notable record of contributing goals from defence.
Since returning to Ligue 1 with Marseille, Aguerd has re-established himself as a high-level performer and arrives with enhanced pedigree after winning the Europa Conference League with West Ham in 2022-23. On the international stage, he was part of the Morocco side that lifted the Africa Cup of Nations in 2025.
Rennes are weighing up defensive reinforcements and see Aguerd’s experience in Ligue 1, European competition and international football as a potential asset. For now, however, he remains a Marseille player with four years left on his deal, leaving any prospective move dependent on negotiations between the two clubs.
