Fabio Paratici has reportedly made selling Serge Aurier a priority on deadline day, especially now that Tottenham intend to sign Emerson Royal from Barcelona.
Nuno Espirito Santo is keen to sign another new defender before the 11pm deadline and has identified right-back as a position that needs strengthening.
Emerson has spent the last couple of seasons on loan at Real Betis, impressing under Manuel Pellegrini. His performances have attracted interest from both Spurs and north London rivals, Arsenal, but it’s Tottenham who are seemingly leading the race for his signature.
Meanwhile, Aurier is someone Tottenham would like to move on.
After making it clear at the end of May that he would not be extending his deal in north London, as football.london understands, the Ivorian still remains in the capital with no buyer so far.
According to the Sun, Spurs are ‘frantically’ trying to find a suitor for Aurier to help cover some of the cost for the Emerson deal. Of course, if Spurs do fail to find an immediate solution for Aurier, they risk losing him on a free.
Espirito Santo evidently has no plans for Aurier as Japhet Tanganga has started all of Spurs’ opening three Premier League games at right-back, and with the signing of Emerson a distinct possibility, the 28-year-old will only slip further down the pecking order should a move for the Brazilian go through.
The report adds that Aurier was initially offered to Barcelona as part of the deal, but the La Liga giants were not keen on that agreement.
Paratici will have to get a move on to solve the issue, or risk having a player who doesn’t want to be there remain at the club.
