About three hours ago, Tottenham Hotspur officially announced the arrival of new right back Serge Aurier from Paris Saint-Germain. Aurier comes over on a five year deal which will keep him at the club until 2022. The transfer fee was reported to be about £23 million, which seems downright thrifty in an extremely inflated transfer market such as this.
PSG might have been lucky to even get that much though when you consider all the baggage that Aurier brings with him. He’s had a lot of off-the-pitch issues with one particular incident standing out from the rest.
We are delighted to announce the signing of @Serge_aurier from Paris Saint-Germain. ?? #WelcomeAurier pic.twitter.com/VUwvROyUK4
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 31, 2017
During his time at PSG, the Ivory Coast international was found guilty of assaulting a police officer outside a Paris nightclub. “He was convicted and given a two-month ‘convertible’ prison sentence, which he is unlikely ever to serve, as well as a €600 fine and a €1,500 damages bill,” reports The Independent.
There were concerns that this legal entanglement could even keep him from obtaining the UK work visa he needed to enter the country. PSG could have sold him to other clubs in other countries where this would not have been an issue. That’s all water under the bridge now as the paperwork was cleared, the deal was finalized, and Aurier now pledges that he’s a changed man.
His incoming statement includes his promise to make a “fresh start,” “both on and off the pitch.”
“This is a huge and exciting opportunity at a massive football club and I am determined to prove myself as a professional both on and off the pitch,” Aurier said via a public statement.
“This is a fresh start for me and I will do everything to make the Spurs fanbase, which is huge and diverse, proud of me. The fans are the most important people at any club and I am looking forward to showing them and everyone at Spurs the real Serge Aurier.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now and Minute Media. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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