He wants to succeed… Didier Drogba shares his verdict on Tottenham’s £23m summer signing Serge Aurier

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Didier Drogba has defended Tottenham right back Serge Aurier.

Ex-Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has told The Mirror that Tottenham Hotspur new boy Serge Aurier’s only problem comes away from the pitch, and he is determined to succeed on it.

Spurs lost Kyle Walker to Manchester City in a big-money deal over the summer, and whilst Kieran Trippier stepped up at the end of last season, manager Mauricio Pochettino unsurprisingly wanted another right back in his ranks.

Finding a player with the same pace, drive and attacking ability as Walker had to be a key for Pochettino, given his tendency to play with wing backs, and he found the ideal on-field replacement in Serge Aurier.

Tottenham completed a deadline day deal to sign Aurier from Paris Saint-Germain in August, with BBC Sport reporting that the fee involved was £23million – around half of what Spurs received for Walker.

Aurieri, 24, often impressed on the field for PSG, though his off-field misdemeanours made him something of a headache at the Parc des Princes – and after signing Dani Alves, the French giants were happy to let Aurier go.

So far, his time with Spurs has been a little mixed; Aurier has shown promise, but he was also sent off for two quick bookings against West Ham United in his first Premier League start, meaning his temperament has been brought into question again.

Manager Pochettino must attempt to resolve that issue, but one former Premier League ace who knows Aurier very well – ex-Chelsea hero Didier Drogba – has offered his verdict on the Spurs new boy.

Drogba has told The Mirror that he thinks Aurier will have learnt from his mistakes off the field, and must be careful with his actions in future, but he feels as a player, Aurier is loyal and is desperate to succeed.

“Serge Aurier maybe has to make those mistakes to really understand and realise what he represents,” said Drogba. “He’s a good person, he’s loyal, he wants to succeed. His problem is away from the pitch – he’s always given everything on the pitch.”

“But you know that when there are kids who call your name and ask for autographs, you have to be careful with all your actions and gestures,” he added.