Tottenham have agreed a deal to sign right-back Serge Aurier from Paris Saint-Germain for a fee of around £23million, according to L’Equipe.
The French sports newspaper claimed in its paper edition on Wednesday that Spurs have made a major breakthrough in a bid to land the 24-year-old following talks conducted by chairman Daniel Levy.
But it is said that Aurier cannot transfer to the Premier League title challengers unless unless he wins his appeal to quash his conviction for assaulting a police officer outside a Paris nightclub in September last year.
Good move for Tottenham?
It depends whether your glass is half-full or half-empty. Aurier has pedigree, valuable Champions League experience and is used to being at a big club where anything other than winning is not an option. He also has explosive pace, a frame built for the Premier League and the kind of athleticism that makes Kyle Walker look like he needs to sharpen up on the training ground. But the Ivory Coast also has something of a reputation and more baggage than the arrivals section at Heathrow. He has landed himself in hot water a few times at PSG and there is a sense that the French big hitters would gladly be rid of him. If Mauricio Pochettino is convinced that Aurier’s problems are behind him and he has matured, then this could be a decent piece of business, as Tottenham are in need of a top-class right-back. But that is a big ‘if’.
This Is Futbol rating: 5/10
Likely to happen?
L’Equipe are the most reliable sporting outlet in France and, when it comes to transfers involving players in the country, they’re second to none. Clearly, Spurs are working on pushing this deal over the line and have moved into a position where they are ahead of Chelsea and Manchester United in the race. But there is a major legal hurdle blocking a deal and it could be some time before Aurier is in a position to sign on the dotted line.
This Is Futbol rating: 6/10