Serge Aurier isn’t worth the risk for Tottenham
If Kyle Walker leaves Tottenham for Manchester City this summer then Mauricio Pochettino will certainly need to purchase a new right back. The Spurs manager should avoid the temptation of signing PSG fullback Serge Aurier though. He’s just the sort of player that could destroy the club’s harmonious dressing room.
The Mirror are reporting that the Ivory Coast right back has emerged as a prime transfer target for Tottenham. From a talent perspective, the move would make a lot of sense. He’s arguably a better player than Walker. Unfortunately, his off the field antics frequently outshine his play on the pitch.
Aurier certainly hasn’t been what you called a model citizen over the past year. I won’t bother to recount every mistake he’s made in this space, but suffice it to say they’ve been numerous. From publicly criticizing then manager Laurent Blanc to being convicted of assaulting a police offer it’s been a terrible time for Aurier.
At the very least, he seems like a terrible fit to play under a manager like Pochettino. The Argentine gaffer has a close relationship with many of his players, but he’s also a relentless taskmaster. Pochettino certainly isn’t the type of boss who’s going to permit a player to criticize him on social media (as Aurier did with Blanc).
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Perhaps I’d feel differently about Aurier if he were turning in dominating performances for PSG. At best, Unai Emery is utilizing him in a platoon at right back along with Thomas Meunier. Aurier’s Whoscored.com player rating average of 7.11 in 22 league appearances is good, but not overwhelming.
In fairness, there are quite a few people who believe leaving Paris could do Aurier a world of good. He certainly wouldn’t be the first young man to benefit from a change of scenery. With that being said, I have serious concerns over whether or not London would provide him less temptations than the French capital.
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Add all of this up, and it’s just not worth the risk for a club of Tottenham’s stature. There are plenty of other talented right backs who would jump at the chance to join Pochettino at Spurs. The overwhelming majority of those players don’t come with any of the baggage that seems to hang over Aurier’s head like a black cloud.