Paris Saint-Germain right back Serge Aurier could be heading to the Premier League, with a report in France claiming he is close to joining Manchester United.
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Aurier, 24, will likely find minutes hard to come by this season at the Parc des Princes after Dani Alves’ arrival and he has been linked with a move to both United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Paris United claim Aurier has agreed personal terms and his transfer fee is $25 million, and although United’s manager Jose Mourinho previously stated he wanted to sign a central midfielder (Nemanja Matic’s move from Chelsea is edging nearer) and a winger, it appears Aurier could arrive.
There is a slight complication with this deal though as Aurier was banned from traveling to England last November for PSG’s UEFA Champions League game against Arsenal due to being convicted of assaulting a police officer outside a Paris nightclub.
The Ivory Coast international has appealed the conviction and has a hearing on Aug. 7 which will decide if the ruling is overturned.
Do Manchester United really need another full back?
With Antonio Valencia, Matteo Darmian, Ashley Young and Timothy Fosu-Mensah already able to play in that position, this seems like a strange move for Mourinho. That said, Aurier possesses raw power and pace and could be deployed further forward. Both Valencia and Young have traditionally been wingers who have slotted into defensive roles over the past two seasons.
Aurier’s pace, power and athleticism make him a Mourinho-esque player and his versatility and UCL experience is also a bonus.
Depending on how the Aug. 7 hearing goes, Aurier’s future seems to lie away from PSG.
