Serge Aurier rumours don’t make sense for Tottenham
Serge Aurier isn’t a perfect fullback, but the rumours claiming Tottenham were willing to sell him to Atletico Madrid this summer don’t ring true.
The summer transfer window closed without Tottenham making any signings, but it’s also true to point out that Spurs didn’t let any key players leave either. No matter what you think of Serge Aurier’s footballing abilities, he’s clearly an important player for Mauricio Pochettino. That’s why rumours claiming he almost moved to Atletico Madrid a few weeks ago just don’t seem believable.
Reports from England claim Tottenham almost had a deal completed with Diego Simeone’s club before negotiations broke down at the last-minute. No specific reason was given for the last-minute change of direction. It’s likely no reason was given because the reports are largely fabrications.
After all, Aurier was selected to start Tottenham’s opening match at Newcastle last weekend. Kieran Trippier might have been the choice if he weren’t still recovering from his World Cup campaign, but Aurier did get the nod over young Kyle Walker-Peters. The English starlet likely has more long-term potential than his teammate, but Pochettino clearly trusts Aurier more at the moment.
That, very simply, is why moving him on to Atletico Madrid would not have made any sense. It’s possible Spurs were ready to bring in an immediate replacement, but the club weren’t linked prominently with any right backs. Selling Aurier without purchasing a like-for-like replacement would have left Pochettino short of options at fullback.
Remember, the club are allegedly ready to let Danny Rose leave on loan if a suitable arrangement can be identified. That means Walker-Peters is going to need to be Ben Davies’ backup at the left back position. That’s far from ideal considering the weakness of his left foot, but it’s the situation Spurs find themselves in.
Pochettino’s intense tactical system requires a lot of running from his two fullbacks. That’s why he almost always chooses to rotate both positions when the schedule requires Tottenham to play two matches in a single week. Selling Aurier and loaning Rose out would have left Pochettino with only three options for his two fullback spots. Walker-Peters has a bright future, but he’s not quite ready for that much playing time against elite opposition.
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The likely explanation for these sudden reports is that someone in Aurier’s camp is trying to increase his value across the continent. That’s a wily move from an agent, but it doesn’t make anything linking Aurier to Atletico true. If it sounds and smells like utter nonsense, it usually is.