Aborted Transfer Of Nayef Aguerd: Real Sociedad Gives Its Version Of The Failure

Real Sociedad has broken its silence on the collapsed move for Nayef Aguerd, and the explanation points away from finances or contract terms. According to the Basque club, medical staff flagged concerns over the Morocco international’s physical durability, casting doubt on his readiness for a demanding 2026–27 campaign. Aguerd has publicly disputed that account. What remains unclear is whether this was a genuine medical failure or a dispute over recovery timelines.

A move that appeared all but complete collapsed in its final stages, as Nayef Aguerd’s permanent transfer from Olympique de Marseille to Real Sociedad fell apart in August 2026 despite an agreement in principle between the two clubs and medical tests already completed in Spain. The deal, reported as a five-year contract, reached advanced stages before breaking down suddenly, prompting conflicting explanations from both sides.

Real Sociedad’s version, relayed through French and Spanish media, points to unresolved medical concerns. According to this account, the club’s decision not to proceed stemmed from doubts raised during the medical examination that were never sufficiently cleared. Spanish outlets have specifically linked the failure to a physical issue detected during testing, framing it as a fitness or durability concern rather than a contractual dispute.

Central to this narrative is Aguerd’s recent pubis surgery. Sources close to Real Sociedad reportedly indicated internally that the risk profile tied to his recovery was judged incompatible with how the club intended to use him during the 2026-27 season. In this telling, the Basque club presents the outcome as a technical and medical choice, not a case of the player walking away. Aguerd’s absence would also have been notable given his standing alongside fellow centre-back Romain Saïss in shaping Morocco’s defensive reputation on the international stage.

Aguerd himself has pushed back on that framing. The defender stated publicly that his medical examinations “went well” and were approved by both clubs, rejecting the suggestion that a failed medical was the main cause of the collapse. He pointed instead to his pubis operation and his wish for a progressive return to competition to rebuild full fitness under a managed workload. This cautious approach reflects the same disciplined mentality that has defined Morocco’s defensive rise under his leadership at the back.

According to Aguerd, the real sticking point was a disagreement over his return-to-play protocol. He described Real Sociedad’s technical staff, led by Pellegrino Matarazzo, as favouring immediate, heavy involvement in matches, a plan he felt clashed with his recovery needs. The player insisted there was no personal conflict with the coach, saying he respected Matarazzo’s position while maintaining that the dispute over reintegration pace was the true reason the deal fell through.

French outlet Foot Mercato has reported that Aguerd declined the move after speaking directly with Matarazzo, despite the clubs’ agreement and completed medical. The two narratives remain unreconciled, leaving the exact cause of the collapse unresolved for now.