Tottenham Hotspur is reportedly closing in on a move for Paris Saint-Germain right-back, Serge Aurier. That’s if his legal issues in France and beyond doesn’t eventually hamper the deal. But should Spurs fans celebrate his potential arrival or hope it ultimately hit a brick wall?
Clearly, Tottenham is extremely short in depth especially in defence, heightened by Danny Rose’s knee injury and Kyle Walker’s exit to Manchester City. For the first, it seems Mauricio Pochetinno has settled for Ben Davies, who has taken his chances with both arms. However, the ex-Southampton boss is still undecided about the latter, hence looks set to add a new face to the mix to battle Kyle Walker-Peters and Kieran Trippier. That man is Aurier.
The Good
From the football sense, signing the Ivory Coast international will be perfect for Spurs. Without any doubt, Aurier is an excellent athlete and player. What he lacks technically, he makes up for it with his pace and energy, a rare commodity in Pochetinno’s team at the moment. No wonder he was nicknamed ‘The Bison’ during his time at Lens, owing to his unusual strength and drive. His versatility will also come as a huge bonus for the Argentine who occasionally loves to tinker things a little.
Being an attacking-minded full-back usually comes at a cost; awful defending. However, that’s different with the 24-year-old who does both in equal measure. He is intelligent in his movement, shuttling between attack and defence with ease. During the last campaign, he averaged 1.67 tackles won and 1.53 interceptions per ninety minutes.
But perhaps his contributions in the final third is what really makes him special. No wonder he garnered 1.13 chances created and attempted the same number of shots per game last term. With Spurs hoping to make a statement in the Champions League, Aurier’s experience in the competition will definitely be key. Yet, the sweetest of all is that the North London club won’t have to spend a fortune to acquire his services as less than half of what they received from the sale of Walker will be enough.
Not So Good
Bringing Aurier on board at this time will certainly send the wrong message to the other right-sided defenders in the team. Trippier, for instance, has had to bide his time patiently before breaking through last season. Partly the reason Pochetinno had no qualms auctioning Walker. But this could change should the Ivorian arrive. In the case of Walker-Peters, he may have kissed his short-term chances goodbye even though he recently signed an extension.
The Ugly
On the flip side, Spurs will have to prepare mentally for the controversies associated with the 24-year-old. The Ivorian is known to be a disruptive influence on the dressing room, capable of damaging a tightly-knit squad. In Paris, he was constantly in the news for the wrong reasons. From assaulting a police officer, Aurier aimed homophobic slur at his former boss, Laurent Blanc. The worst of all is that he is currently banned from stepping foot in the UK, except his appeal is successful.
Verdict
If Aurier comes and the gamble pays off, Spurs will have one hell of a player. But what if it doesn’t? Can Pochetinno look back two years after and be thankful to PSG? Well, Blanc didn’t. “Two years ago, I committed myself to bring him to Paris, so to see what I saw yesterday … that’s the thanks I get? It’s pitiful,” the ex-France coach confessed.
So, Poch, you’ve been forewarned.
