Serge Aurier joins Iranian giants Persepolis

After spending over a year without a club, Ivorian right back Serge Aurier will resume his club career with Iranian club Persepolis after the Tehran-based side announced his signing on Thursday.

 

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The veteran defender joins on a one-year contract thirteen months after leaving his last club, Turkish giants Galatasaray. Persepolis finished in third place at the conclusion of the 2024-25 Persian Gulf Pro League season but will not take part in continental competition this upcoming season.

Aurier only played around seventy minutes over four appearances during the 2023-24 season with Galatasaray after joining from English Premier League side Nottingham Forest:

“Yeah…I know some about the club. I am happy to be here and I know about the club. My friend played here and I asked him about the club…I will take my time to learn more information about the club.”

Expectations will be high at Iran’s most successful club, which has won sixteen Iranian top flight titles. After winning consecutive titles in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns, Persepolis is seeking to return to the top after a disappointing 2024-25 season that saw them finish third behind rivals Sepahan and first-time champions Tractor Sazi. Persepolis notably lost both of their league games against Sepahan last season, which cost them qualification for the AFC Champions League after the two teams were left tied on points at the end of last season.

The 32-year-old Aurier is looking for regular playing time so that he can move back into contention for a place on the Ivory Coast national team, for whom he has 4 goals in 93 appearances. Aurier served as the captain of the Elephants as they won the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations on home soil but he has not appeared for the Ivorian selection since playing in the final against Nigeria.

Persepolis begin the 2025-26 season at home against newly-promoted side Fajr Sepasi on August 15.