OPINION
Tottenham must bin Serge Aurier this summer just a year after he was snapped up from Paris Saint-Germain and look to replace him with France international Benjamin Pavard, who has been on fire at the World Cup.
Aurier, 25, cost Spurs £23million when he swapped Paris for London on transfer deadline day last summer, but his performances have been somewhat of a letdown with his lack of discipline and poor defensive displays showing that he is simply not cut out to play for the club.
According to statistics website Spotrac, the Ivory Coast international is earning £80,000-a-week on his deal at Spurs, but Mauricio Pochettino and Daniel Levy must be brutal and try to end his association with the North London club as soon as possible with the chance to sign a much better replacement.
Stuttgart right-back Pavard has been in sensational form at the World Cup.
In a star-studded French team boasting the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe, not many had heard of the 22-year-old defender who spent last season impressing in the Bundesliga for Stuttgart.
However he has soon made himself a household name with a series of strong World Cup performances at right-back for Les Bleus, and his beautiful long-rage volley against Argentina is likely to go down in the tournament’s history.
According to German newspaper BILD, Pavard has a release clause worth £30.8million and Spurs should look to trigger that as soon as possible as Bayern Munich are credited with an interest in the Stuttgart ace.
He is someone who is already reportedly on the radar in North London with BILD claiming in March that Spurs had sent scouts to keep track of his progress in Germany.
Pavard does not just play at right-back where he would be a replacement for the less-than-inspiring Aurier as he can also play on the right-hand side of a back-three.
Could Pochettino find himself a new Kyle Walker in Pavard? A defender who is brilliant at getting forward, quick on his feet and can play in the centre of defence if needed.
Pavard is perfect for Pochettino and he must definitely look to get this deal done as soon as possible.