Serge Aurier is back at RC Lens. But the former Ivory Coast international is not returning to pull on the Sang et Or shirt: at 33 years old, he rejoins the club that trained him as assistant coach of the U15s, an appointment made official on 11 August 2026.
A son of the club coming home
Trained at La Gaillette and launched into the professional world by Lens in 2009, Aurier went on to build a rich and varied career. His journey took him to Toulouse FC, Paris Saint-Germain, Tottenham Hotspur, Villarreal, Nottingham Forest, Galatasaray and, more recently, Persepolis, which he left in June 2026.
That trajectory allowed him to accumulate invaluable experience at the highest levels of European and international football — resources he will now put at the service of Lens's young players.
Passing on rather than playing
His return to Lens follows a different logic from anything he has known before. Having been shaped by the club, Aurier comes back to play a part in building the next generation. It is no longer about defending his right flank on a pitch, but about helping future players find their path towards professional football.
For RC Lens, it is also an opportunity to reconnect its academy with one of its most well-known alumni. Aurier knows from the inside the demands of a top-level dressing room, the realities of an international career and the obstacles that punctuate a young footballer's development.
For the former captain of the Éléphants, a new adventure begins — far from the competitive pitches, but as close as possible to those who dream of reaching them.
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