According to Sky Italia journalist Di Marzio – via Milan News – AC Milan remain keen on a deal for Serge Aurier this summer.
Further, TodoFichajes report that Daniel Levy has compromised on his asking price, by 5 million euros (£4.5 million) to help get the deal done.
Aurier has divided opinion at Spurs since his arrival and while we’re not pretending he’s the perfect right back, we’ve thought of three reasons getting rid of him might not be the best idea…
How easy is it to replace him?
There are better right backs than Aurier in the world of football, no doubt about it.
But can Tottenham attract them, in the current financial climate without Champions League football?
They failed to effectively replace Kieran Trippier last summer, and the academy graduate who was supposed to help fill the void – Kyle Walker-Peters – is now a Southampton player.
Japhet Tanganga can play there but Jose Mourinho would need a senior replacement for Aurier.
They failed to land a suitable right back last summer and the financial landscape is even more challenging now. Replacing Aurier won’t be easy.
Jose’s potential blueprint
Jose Mourinho’s first game in charge of Tottenham, the 3-2 win at West Ham in October, provided his potential blueprint for future success.
Aurier was deployed higher up the pitch, almost as a right wing-back, with Ben Davies more defensive and tucked in on the left.
That allowed Son Heung-min and Lucas Moura to roam off the wings and create havoc.
Tanganga would not be able to attack with the same vigour – he’s a central defender by trade.
Can Spurs land a defender which fits Levy and Mourinho’s principles; affordable, with sell-on value, but defensively solid and capable of bombing on? They’d need to if Mourinho’s initial blueprint is to come to fruition.
Aurier has won Mourinho over
As per EuroSport, Mourinho praised Aurier’s ‘very strong character’, in tragic circumstances last month.
For Mourinho, the personality of his players matters almost as much as their quality.
Aurier has clearly impressed him hugely on that score.
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