OPINION
Tottenham defender Serge Aurier has endured a difficult first season in English football and not quite hit the dizzy heights he was expected to since joining from Paris Saint-Germain.
The right-back was signed as a replacement for Kyle Walker and has found himself playing second fiddle to Kieran Trippier for most of the season.
He has been guilty of being too rash at times and has shown during his 24 appearances that his form can drip drastically.
The Daily Mirror report that Spurs are eyeing a move for Southampton defender Cedric Soares, which has thrown Aurier future at the North London club into serious doubt after a difficult 2017/18 campaign.
However, manager Mauricio Pochettino must intervene to ensure the club stick with Aurier, as history suggests he will come good eventually.
The Ivory Coast international definitely has the pace and power that make him a perfect fit for the Premier League, while he also has a decent amount of top-level experience.
He needs to tighten up the defensive side of his game, something that direct competition Trippier has the edge over him on.
Pochettino has proven during in recent years that he can help transform an average full-back into a top-class one over a few seasons.
Trippier, Walker, Danny Rose and Ben Davies are all brilliant examples of how working under the Argentinian boss can improve you as a player.
Aurier certainly has the platform to develop into a leading full-back in England and at the age of 25 it would be far too quick to bin him off after just one year.