Categories: World Soccer

Tottenham complete deals for Aurier and Llorente

Spurs are reported to have paid PSG around £23 million ($29.6 million, 25 million euros) to sign 24-year-old Aurier, who won two Ligue 1 titles during his three years in Paris, on a five-year contract.

The deal was held up as Spurs’ request for a work permit was complicated by the suspended two-month prison sentence Aurier received after an assault on a police officer outside a Paris nightclub in May 2016.

“This is a huge and exciting opportunity at a massive football club and I am determined to prove myself as a professional both on and off the pitch,” Aurier said in comments published on the Spurs website.

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“This is a fresh start for me and I will do everything to make the Spurs fanbase, which is huge and diverse, proud of me.

“The fans are the most important people at any club and I am looking forward to showing them and everyone at Spurs the real Serge Aurier.”

Aurier’s conviction for elbowing a police officer meant he was barred from entering the United Kingdom by the British authorities for PSG’s Champions League game against Arsenal last November.

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His reference to Spurs’ “diverse” fanbase was a pointed one as he was suspended by PSG last year for making a homophobic slur against former coach Laurent Blanc in a social media video.

Aurier, capped 40 times by Ivory Coast, began his career with French club Lens and spent two and a half seasons at Toulouse before joining PSG in July 2014.

During his time at Parc des Princes, he also won three French Cups and three French League Cups.

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At Spurs he will fill the void left by England right-back Kyle Walker’s £45 million move to Manchester City. He can also play at centre-back.

Late in the day, Tottenham announced the signing of Spanish World Cup winner Llorente, who arrives from Swansea City for a reported fee of £12 million to provide competition for Harry Kane.

The 32-year-old former Athletic Bilbao, Juventus and Sevilla target man has signed a two-year contract.

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Aurier and Llorente join Colombian defender Davinson Sanchez, a club-record £42 million recruit from Ajax, back-up goalkeeper Paulo Gazzanigga and Argentinian youngster Juan Foyth in joining Spurs during the transfer window.

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By Agence France Presse