Former Premier League star ‘assaulted’ at airport before joining Morocco squad for international duty

Last Updated on 7 October 2025

A former West Ham player was involved in an unexpected incident while preparing to travel for international duty.

Nayef Aguerd was reportedly approached by an individual at a French airport, a situation that quickly escalated before security stepped in.

The former West Ham man had been preparing to join Morocco on international duty when things took an unpleasant turn.

Former West Ham star, Nayef Aguerd, attacked in VIP lounge

French outlet BFM Marseille-Provence reports that Aguerd was waiting in the VIP lounge at Marseille Airport on Sunday evening when he was approached by a man asking for his phone number and a selfie.

The situation turned aggressive as the man attempted to slap the former Premier League defender, prompting security personnel to intervene.

Police soon arrived on the scene and detained the individual. Aguerd had to board his flight to join the Moroccan national team so a formal complaint could not be filed.

The 29-year-old reassured fans following the altercation through Instagram. He thanked the security personnel and said he was “fine”.

Hero’s exit from West Ham and an impressive start in Marseille for Nayef Aguerd

Aguerd left West Ham this summer after two years in London, where he made 61 appearances. The most memorable appearance came in the final of the 2023 Europa Conference League when West Ham beat Fiorentina for the trophy.

Despite being a key figure in West Ham’s triumph, Aguerd left West Ham on loan for Real Sociedad for the 2024/25 campaign.

After impressing on loan in La Liga, Aguerd had a number of proposals from all over Europe. Eventually, Roberto de Zerbi convinced Marseille to stump up £20m for Aguerd’s signature from West Ham.

Since making the switch to France, the Moroccan international has quickly found his rhythm. The southern French side have won four straight matches with Aguerd starting all four.

That includes a 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in which Aguerd scored, and the Olympians currently sit just one point behind the league leaders.