Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is reportedly eyeing PSG defender Serge Aurier and is set to rival Manchester United in the race to land a deal
According to a report by The Sun, Premier League champions Chelsea have submitted an enquiry for Serge Aurier as they get set to rival Manchester United in landing the Paris Saint-Germain defender. Although United have been linked with a move for months, Conte could swoop in and seal the deal if Jose Mourinho does not make a move soon.
Aurier still has two years left on his contract with PSG, but is understood to have a preference to leave the French club this summer and explore options abroad, despite being offered a new contract.
The Ivory Coast international has been a regular for the French giants since his arrival at Parc des Princes, but over the course of last season, he was forced to share game time with Belgian international Thomas Meunier. The defender has been in search of regular game time and is unlikely to receive that at PSG beyond this summer.
Dani Alves’s arrival threatens to reduce his game time further, and Aurier will be interested in moving to a side wherein a similar situation does not happen. The 24-year-old has pace, power and provides a great attacking threat which will make him one of the most ideal players to man the right wing-back slot.
Aurier will be a strong choice for the United back line if the deal does go through. Signing a quality right-back has been a top priority for Jose Mourinho this summer and Aurier can easily make the cut.
United were linked to move for AS Monaco defender Fabinho, but it seems like the French club are determined to not sell any more of their players after a splendid display in the previous campaign. Hence, Aurier can prove to be a worthy alternative while costing a lot less than the Monaco man.
Chelsea could also offer similar opportunities when it comes to regular game time. After missing out on Danilo, Conte has been scanning the market for an alternative. With Aurier being more astute defensively, he could even usurp the impressive Moses to become the first-choice right wing-back in Conte’s side next season.
Both Manchester United and Chelsea can provide similar opportunities and, interestingly, have similar reasons for their interest in Aurier. With two Premier League heavy-weights keen on a transfer, it remains to be seen which club Aurier ultimately chooses to sign with.
