Written with the help of artificial-intelligence tools and checked by automated controls.
This content was machine-translated from the French version.
Barely a year after his thunderous arrival on the Canebière, Nayef Aguerd is already hanging up his Marseille boots. The 30-year-old Moroccan central defender is heading to Real Sociedad on a loan with an obligation to buy, as confirmed this Tuesday, August 5. The Basque club, where Aguerd left a lasting impression during his previous spell, has secured its priority signing. The deal could be finalized as early as this week if the final contractual details are settled.
The season of misunderstanding
When OM officially announced Aguerd's signing in September 2025, the Vélodrome was rubbing its hands with glee.
When OM officially announced Aguerd's signing in September 2025, the Vélodrome was rubbing its hands with glee. The CV was impressive: a heroic 2022 World Cup with Morocco, two Premier League seasons at West Ham, a successful loan in La Liga. Marseille thought it had found the cornerstone of its defense for years to come. The signed contract runs until 2030.
The pitch told a completely different story. A persistent pubalgia forced the player to go under the knife. Months of recovery dragged on. When he returned to action, the defensive system imagined by Roberto De Zerbi had already settled into its habits without him. Aguerd managed only a handful of appearances in the white shirt. The Vélodrome, which dreamed of a rock, caught only a glimpse of a shadow.
San Sebastián hasn't forgotten
Real Sociedad, for its part, has kept a much clearer memory of the Moroccan. Loaned to the Basque club during the 2024-2025 season, Aguerd racked up 36 appearances in all competitions, 34 of them as a starter. Anoeta's supporters appreciated his reading of trajectories and his clean distribution, two qualities that Imanol Alguacil's football demands of its defenders.
The club coached by Alguacil is coming off a solid season, capped by European qualification. The arrival of the Moroccan aims to solidify a defense that sometimes lacked height on set pieces.
According to Foot Mercato and Le Phocéen, discussions between the two boards have accelerated over the last forty-eight hours. Real is offering a paid loan with an obligation to buy, a mechanism that allows OM to recover a fraction of its investment while freeing up wage bill space. The player, for his part, has never hidden his attachment to the Basque Country.
De Zerbi reshapes his defense
Aguerd's departure is not an isolated episode. The Marseille summer resembles a big spring cleaning in the middle of August. De Zerbi, backed by his management, wants a more cohesive squad less dependent on individuals. The defensive overhaul remains a priority: OM conceded too many avoidable goals last season to aim for the podium without adjustments.
The Italian coach still has a few weeks to find the complementary profile that will stabilize his center-back pairing, a priority project.
For Aguerd, the return to San Sebastián feels like a breath of fresh air. He finds a dressing room he knows, a city where his family settled without difficulty, and above all a coach who never stopped believing in him. His performances in 2024-2025 earned him praise from the Basque press, which hailed his ability to stem opposing attacks without ever panicking. At thirty, the defender with 48 caps knows that the upcoming season must erase the bitter taste of the previous one. The 2026 World Cup is approaching, and a starting spot in the Moroccan national team depends on club playing time.