Tottenham are now waiting for confirmation of a visa before confirming the arrival of their third summer signing, according to the Independent. That man is expected to be Paris Saint-Germain full-back Serge Aurier, a right-back who will compete with Kieran Trippier. Here are five stats that may show why he is an improvement:
19 – The number of assists Aurier has made since 2012, the highest of any Ligue Un defender
Few defenders in the world, let alone France, offer the same kind of attacking threat that the Ivory Coast international does. Considering that for many periods in that time frame he was not always first choice, it is an even more remarkable stat and he could become a really creative threat for Spurs.
89.1% – Aurier’s pass completion rate in Ligue Un last season
That’s a very high rate, particularly for a wide player who puts a lot of crosses into the box. It’s also significantly higher than Trippier’s 76.3% over the same period.
39 – Dribbles in 27 games last season
That’s compared to 20 in 32 for Trippier since he joined from Burnley. It’s clear that Aurier will offer an entirely different option and will look to bomb down the wing with a much great frequency than the current first choice.
10 – The number of Champions League games that Aurier has played in
Compared to Trippier’s three group stage appearances in last season’s woeful European campaign. The new arrival has much greater experience at the highest level and that is something that the Spurs squad have been lacking and may help them in Europe. He’s also got 39 international caps compared to Trippier’s one.
2 – Years younger than Trippier
It may not be a long gap, but at 26-years-old, Trippier should already be close to his peak. Whether or not he is good enough for elite level football is unclear, but Aurier has already proven that and has room to improve.