Serge Aurier has said he never considered signing for Arsenal this summer because he has “too much respect” for his former club Tottenham Hotspur.
Aurier joined Villarreal on Monday, having been a free agent since his contract was terminated by Spurs at the end of August.
The Ivory Coast international made 69 appearances for the club since joining for £23 million from Paris Saint-Germain in 2017.
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He wrote: “First of all, I would like to thank all the Spurs fans for these four wonderful seasons with you.
“They were all different but I leave with some great memories. I really enjoyed playing the game wearing your colours proudly.
“It is true that not everything was perfect, there were moments of joy and sadness but know one thing, I have always played 100 per cent, without cheating!
“I have never seen myself at another club in England if not at your place! And I didn’t see myself joining the enemy even less because I have too much respect for our club, for our history and for all our moments shared together.
“You have shown unfailing support during these four seasons and I really want to thank you because you have given me so much!
“The last few months have not been easy and I would have liked to say goodbye to you on better terms, but each story comes to an end, you have to know how to accept it and move on!”
His new side Villarreal currently sit 11th in La Liga.
GO DEEPER
More tackles than Toby, more assists than Dele, more chances created than Kane – but Serge Aurier is rubbish, right?
Why did Tottenham let Aurier go?
In the newly-signed Royal, Doherty and Tanganga, Nuno Espirito Santo had three options he deemed more trustworthy than Aurier, who barely featured in the club’s pre-season.
Nuno’s predecessors, Mauricio Pochettino and Jose Mourinho, also wanted to sell Aurier at various points — partly because of his habit of making rash and costly errors.
Aurier had meanwhile desired a new challenge for some time, and in the summer of 2019 believed he was on the verge of leaving, only for an injury to Foyth to force Spurs to change their mind.
How is Aurier viewed at Tottenham since leaving the club?
It depends on who you speak to. For some, he will always be remembered as the inconsistent, error-prone defender who couldn’t be trusted.
Others believe he became an unfair target for criticism, and it’s worth remembering that at points during each of the last two seasons there were periods where he was among the team's most solid performers.
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That includes the spell in November and December last season when Spurs briefly went top of the league.
Where will Aurier fit in at Villarreal?
Villarreal head coach Unai Emery knows Aurier from the 2016-17 season together at Paris Saint Germain.
Foyth has been playing at right-back last season and this, impressing hugely and becoming a big local favourite.
Longer term, Foyth may return to centre-back, where Emery is short of back-up for first-choice pairing Raul Albiol and Pau Torres.
Aurier is also a more attacking option to Foyth, and would offer more in the attacking third, if less sure defensively.
Where can I find out more?
For a detailed look at Aurier’s strengths and weaknesses as a player, Go Deeper with The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare below.
(Photo: Richard Calver/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)