Tottenham must sell Serge Aurier before signing Zeki Celik
According to a report from Bleacher Report (h/t Football.london), Tottenham will first need to sell defender Serge Aurier this summer before they can invest in the signing of Lille right-back Zeki Celik.
The right-side of the backline is something that Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho is intent on bolstering ahead of the 2020/21 season. Having allowed Kieran Trippier to leave last summer, we were left with Serge Aurier as the only senior right-back.
And while he has been a permanent fixture in the side, the 27-year-old Ivorian has been prone to errors, costing the team points on a number of occasions. So, bringing in an upgrade is something that should be a top priority for the club this summer.
Zeki Celik has been identified as one of the options to bolster the right-back slot. The 23-year-old joined Lille from Turkish outfit Istanbulspor in the summer of 2018. Till date, he has featured 68 times for the French club, scoring one goal and setting up eight more.
In what was a curtailed 2019/20 campaign in France due to the pandemic, Celik featured 32 times across all competitions, contributing with three assists. Young and dynamic, the Turkish international would be a handy addition to the ranks and would certainly add depth and quality at the right-back slot.
However, for us to sign him, Tottenham will first have to offload Aurier, as per the report. The club are open to selling him and the 27-year-old has attracted interest from Serie A heavyweights AC Milan as well. (h/t Football.london)
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However, the two clubs are yet to reach an agreement over the transfer fee. Milan are reportedly willing to offer £13m for Aurier, which is short of Spurs’ £20m valuation.
But with Celik’s deal hinging on Tottenham selling Aurier, the club might have to lower their demands for the Ivorian.
