Serge Aurier admitted in a recent press conference that he “was looking for an exit” from Tottenham over the summer. The 26-year-old was linked with a move to AS Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain, but nothing materialised and he was forced to stay in London.
In quotes reported by Sport-Ivorie, Aurier revealed: “I was looking for an exit, so I couldn’t play. When you’re trying to move, you can’t play because an injury or whatever else can scupper everything. I wanted to leave so it was normal for me to not be on the pitch.
“Beyond that, it’s the manager’s decision, he’s the one who decides what’s best for the group. Like I’ve said, the season is long so we’ll try and be performant going forward and for what comes next”.
Aurier joined Tottenham from PSG in 2017 and has gone on to make 45 appearances in all competitions, scoring and creating 11 goals. The Ivorian international has been short of playing in the last 12 months, however, racking up just 563 minutes of Premier League football in 2018/19.
With Mauricio Pochettino trusting Kyle Walker-Peters and Juan Foyth to compete at right-back this season, Aurier and Kieran Trippier were both made available for sale. Trippier was the only one of the two that was sold, however, which left the 26-year-old in limbo.
Aurier added: “That desire to leave, I think it’s a bit normal. I’m an important player of the national team. I’m not 20 anymore and I need to play, to be happy… There are situations that mean you need to make a decision. I’m a big boy and a dad, so there are choices that are good for me and my family.
“But I’m not the only one who decides. Today, the window is closed so I’m focusing on my club and we’ll see what happens later. I’m not disappointed to have stayed because that will allow me to surpass myself, to have a very good season and we’ll see. The boss has the last word and here the boss is the manager”.
The defender has made four appearances in all competitions this season, but his performances have left a lot to be desired. It’s hard to see Aurier staying at Tottenham past January 2020 if a suitor is located.