Tottenham Hotspur release statement supporting Serge Aurier after death of his brother
The brother of Tottenham defender Serge Aurier has been killed in France, the club have confirmed.
Christopher Aurier, an amateur footballer in his homeland, was shot in the Thibaud area of Toulouse at around 5am on Monday morning.
A Tottenham statement read: “The club is deeply saddened to confirm media reports that Serge Aurier’s brother passed away in the early hours of this morning.
“We are supporting Serge at this difficult time and we ask that the privacy of the player and his family is respected.
“Everybody at the club sends their sincerest condolences to Serge and his family. Our thoughts are with them all.”
We are with you, @Serge_Aurier 💙 pic.twitter.com/jI0vHHqfy5
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) July 13, 2020
La Depeche report that Christopher Aurier, 26, was found in a critical condition in the early hours of Monday morning after being shot in the stomach.
The incident is understood to have occurred outside a nightclub.
Aurier was pronounced dead at Toulouse University Hospital. The suspect has not yet been found, according to local reports.
Serge Aurier, a year older than Christopher at 27, has been playing for Tottenham since 2017.
He had previously spent his entire club career in France, starting off at Lens, then moving to Toulouse in 2012 and PSG – initially on loan – two years later.
He started for Spurs in Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the north London derby.
Christopher followed in his elder brother’s footsteps, training as a footballer at Lens.
He once had a trial at Brentford but was unable to secure a deal and later moved abroad before returning to the Toulouse region to sign for Rodeo FC.
Speaking of his short spell with Brentford in 2011, Christopher said: “Brentford were in League One at the time. Everything went well with my trial, but I could not speak English at the time.
“The coach [Uwe Rosler] told me: ‘It’s a shame you can’t understand my instructions. I’d have signed you otherwise.’
“I had a trial at Stalybridge, but I did not like it as it was too far away. So I left them – only to spend seven months with a club in Qatar.”