Spanish football club Villarreal has strengthened its ranks with Ivorian defender Serge Aurier in a free transfer deal until the end of the current season, with the option to extend for another two years, the club announced on Monday. 



















The 28-year-old became a free player as a result of the termination of his contract with Tottenham Hotspur in August, after defending the London club's colors since 2017.

Aurier will join Villarreal with coach Unai Emery, who played under his supervision during the 2016-2017 season in Paris Saint-Germain, who defended the Ivorian colors from 2014 to 2017, and crowned him with 11 titles (two in the domestic league and three in each of the cup competitions, the League Cup and the Champions Cup synonymous with the Super Cup in other countries).

In his statement on Monday, Villarreal described his new player as "a physically strong defender. He is distinguished by his strength, speed, solidity and ability to join the attack. He is a multi-talented player who tends to play at right-back, but can also play in the middle of defence."

Aurier was called up to his country's national team for his next two matches, Friday and Monday, against Malawi in the fourth group of African qualifiers for the Qatar 2022 World Cup, and he will join his new team after the international window, according to Villarreal.

Aurier will compete for the right-back position in Villarreal, who is in eleventh place in the Spanish League, although it is the only team that has not lost so far, with Argentine Juan Foyth.

Villarreal is currently at the bottom of Group F in the European Champions League, after drawing at home with Italy's Atalanta and losing at Manchester United.