FC Barcelona need Serge Aurier but he is not interested

FC Barcelona need a new right back and are interested in PSG midfielder and Ivory Coast international Serge Aurier but he has shut down rumors of a move..

When Dani Alves left the Camp Nou this summer for the fields of Turin and Juventus, it was seen as a typical progression of a player’s career as he got older. Alves is 33-years-old and had been a faithful servant at Barcelona for almost a decade and it was time that the club found a long-term replacement.

What many did not expect however, was for Barca to have such a hard time replacing the Brazilian. Alves was, and some say still is, a world-class talent and replacing him would be difficult for most clubs that do not have the resources and cachet of Barcelona. Despite these advantages, the club is still in search of an adequate replacement for Alves.

The likes of Sergi Roberto and Aleix Vidal have tried to replicate the magical combination of defensive steel and offensive firepower that Alves brought to the team but they have not lived up to their expectations.

Roberto is a versatile player that is solid at a number of positions but not particularly good at any either. Vidal is the more disappointing of the two as he was brought in in 2015 from Sevilla for €18 million fee plus add-ons but has done little to justify his fee.

There is an alternative to both of those players that Barcelona have reportedly targeted in Serge Aurier but the PSG defender is happy where he is. He said, as quoted by ESPN FC:

"“PSG have always been there for me. I am calm and not thinking about [the future]. I am very good with PSG right now and everything is going well for me. The club has a lot of confidence in me. The coach believes in me and my teammates do too. I feel good and I do not see why I would think to leave PSG.”"

Aurier is happy at his current home and his comments show that he is loyal to the club that supported him when many others would not have. The Ivory Coast international was convicted of assaulting an officer in May, 2016 and was also suspended from the club for using inappropriate language towards then-manager Laurent Blanc.

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PSG stood by him despite his misbehavior and he has rewarded them with loyalty amidst the swirling transfer speculation.

It was clear that the defender had some serious growing up to do but Aurier has been a faithful servant to the club since his transgressions and has been a quality player for them on the pitch.

Aurier would be an excellent addition to Barcelona but he does not appear to be in any hurry to leave and is more eager to repay PSG’s faith in him. He is an excellent player when on form and in the mood and has all the characteristics of a top-tier right back.

The defender is in Gabon at the African Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast and could be simply quelling the rumors in order to focus at the task of hand but he comes across as sincere in his comments. It is almost refreshing to see this sort of loyalty from a player in this era but not many have pushed their limits the way Aurier has with PSG.

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If the Paris club does tire of him or feel that he has not truly matured then they would have a willing suitor in Barcelona as their search for an adequate Dani Alves replacement continues.

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