After a career marked by ups and downs in the biggest European championships, Serge Aurier signed up last summer with Persepolis FC, the flagship club of the Iranian championship, in the hope of relaunching a trajectory which had been declining for several seasons. The Ivorian, trained in Lens and revealed in Europe at Paris Saint-Germain before joining Tottenham, then had experiences at Villarreal, Nottingham Forest and Galatasaray after his departure from England in 2021. Free since July 2024 at the end of his Turkish contract, he accepted this unprecedented challenge in Iran to remain competitive and, why not, find a place in the national team during qualifying for the World Cup and then the CAN, which is currently being played at Morocco.
This transfer to the Persian Gulf Pro League was a way for him to extend his career while bringing his experience to an ambitious club on the continental scene, but the reality quickly proved much more difficult than anticipated. On a sporting level, the Iranian adventure never really took off for Aurier. According to statistics, the Ivorian international only played four league matches with Persepolis, totaling 360 minutes of play without a goal or assist, and failed to establish himself as an essential element of the defense, even though the Tehran-based club is one of the most successful in the country and counted on Aurier to dominate the championship, but today the residents of the Azadi stadium are only 2nd behind Sepahan.
Persepolis it stops
Beyond the already modest figures, his stay was overshadowed by health problems: contamination with hepatitis B led to a prolonged absence, even raising questions about his ability to play and train normally in the weeks following his arrival. In this context, according to the very reliable Iranian private press agency Tasnim NewsPersepolis has decided to turn the page prematurely. Less than six months after his arrival, the club’s management launched steps to end his contract, initially scheduled until June 2026, and part ways with the former Ivorian international from the winter transfer window, considering that the investment did not produce the expected results and that the team needs other options for the second part of the season. Indeed, the Iranian club wishes to reach an amicable termination as quickly as possible with the Ivorian side, whose contract is estimated at around 2.5 billion tomans (537,000 euros).
Arriving with a certain status, Aurier did not fully meet the expectations placed on him, between irregular performances and an adaptation considered delicate to the context of Iranian football, which is now pushing the leaders to review their position. This turnaround illustrates how delicate the end of Aurier’s career has become, he who was a pillar of PSG and a regular starter in the Premier League a few years ago. His brief stint in Iran, instead of being a springboard for recovery, could well go down as one of the most frustrating episodes of his career. With an imminent separation and the winter market opening, the former defender is now looking for a new way out, while his ambitions to extend his career at the highest level seem to be moving further away. We will now see where the native of Sevran can bounce back in the coming weeks.
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