Serge Aurier criticises former club Paris Saint-Germain for failing to respect his worth

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Tottenham signing Serge Aurier has criticised former club Paris Saint-Germain for failing to respect his "true worth" as a player.

The Ivory Coast international, who joined Spurs on the final day of the transfer window for £23m, also believes he has been “the most influential defender in Ligue 1” for the past four seasons and argues that the statistics prove this.

Aurier arrives at Tottenham with a reputation for controversy. He was most recently handed a two-month suspended jail sentence for assaulting a police officer outside a Paris nightclub. Prior to that, he was filmed using a homophobic slur to describe Laurent Blanc, PSG’s former manager.

But speaking ahead of Spurs’ game against Everton this weekend, which could see him make his debut for the north Londoners, the 24-year-old said he is ready to make a fresh start in England.

"I wanted a new life because PSG didn't respect my true worth," he told The Sun. "They dwelt on other matters beside football.

"Statistically speaking, I am the most influential defender in Ligue 1 between 2013 and now. I have also won nine trophies with PSG.

"There are more striking things about my career than what happened off the field, but this is what they preferred to linger over.”

Aurier also revealed that he turned down a new three-year deal from PSG to join Tottenham, where he hopes to “discover a new way of life”.

"I feel free now. PSG offered me a new three-year deal, but I have left them for a new adventure. I turned them down for a number of reasons. I want to discover a new way of life.

"I got on well with everyone at the club - bosses, players, coaches and fans - and the proof comes from the fact they wanted to keep me. But I had to think of myself. It is a personal decision.

"I had some business with the police that was blown up by the media in Europe. Normally when a matter goes on for a year or more they move on to something else. But in my case, there was far too much of a fuss. If I hadn't been mentally strong I would have cracked up."