Newcastle United's Kieran Trippier and a transfer lesson
Newcastle United's Kieran Trippier has been linked with transfers away from St James' Park, but the 'statement' signing is still going strong.
The replies to a recent social media post from Atletico Madrid were revealing.
More than 60,000 fans had liked an Instagram post of two assists from Kieran Trippier against Real Valladolid. There were also many replies to the clips. One said: “How did we give this guy away. He was the best.”
There were several replies of “miss you”, while another supporter simply said: “We need him.”
One fan told the club: “Why do you open the wound?”
Trippier is long gone from Atletico, but, clearly, he is not forgotten.
And, more than three years after he made a shock move to Newcastle United, he’s still needed at St James’ Park.
Now 34, Trippier is playing some of his best football for the club as it pushes for a Champions League place. The right-back set up goals for Dan Burn and William Osula in the weekend’s 3-0 win over Ipswich Town.
Trippier, of course, walked away from Champions League football in Madrid to join a club which was seemingly heading for the Championship in January 2021.
When Trippier arrived on Tyneside, I wrote that he was a “statement signing” from the club, which was in the relegation zone.
“Normally, deals for strikers are the one that really capture the imagination on Tyneside.
“Yet a defender has got Newcastle United fans excited.”
There were suggestions at the time that Trippier had been motivated by money, but that had not been the case. Trippier had actually taken a pay cut to link up again with Eddie Howe, who had previously managed him at Burnley.
"People questioned why Newcastle, and why I left Atletico Madrid, but I have no regrets in my career,” said Trippier after the club ended its long wait for a major trophy by winning the Carabao Cup at Wembley. “When I signed for Newcastle, they were 19th. People thought it was about money.
“I took less money to come here, but that's what people don't realise. It's not all about money in football. I wanted to come back to the North for my family.”
‘World-class’ signing
The importance of that transfer still cannot be overstated. Trippier was arguably the first genuinely world-class player to join Newcastle in a generation, and he had made the move when the club, taken over in late 2021 by a consortium led by Amanda Staveley, was in a relegation battle.
So his move was all-important. Trippier, a natural leader, was what the club needed on and off the pitch, and Bruno Guimaraes, Chris Wood, Dan Burn and loanee Matt Targett soon followed him to St James’ Park during a pivotal month.
Howe soon lost Trippier to injury, but he had already made his mark, and the then-England international still travelled with the squad to away games to support his team-mates as he recovered from a fractured metatarsal bone.
The following year, Trippier and his team-mates qualified for the Champions League.
Trippier, like any player, has had downs as well as ups, and there has been speculation over his future over the past 12 months.
With Tino Livramento now settled into the side, does the club still need him beyond this season?
There will be no shortage of clubs willing to offer Trippier first-team football this summer, something he will want at this stage of his career, but he has underlined his importance to the club in recent months.
When Lewis Hall suffered a season-ending foot injury ahead of the Carabao Cup final, Livramento was switched to left-back.
Vice-captain Trippier – who lifted the cup with present and past skippers Guimaraes and Jamaal Lascelles – has been a fixture at right-back since Howe lost Hall to injury.
Speaking after the Ipswich win, Newcastle’s head coach said: “I don't think there are (many better in his position).
“I think it's a real testament to his ability, his physical ability to do what he does at his age. It's not easy. He's playing one of the hardest positions to execute. His cross for the second goal (scored by Osula) just sums up his quality, really.
“He's a difference-maker for us. He brings obvious qualities on the ball, but his leadership skills, and his experience, helps us in so many different ways.”
Summer transfer decision
The former England international has a year left on his United contract, and Howe, understandably, does not want to lose him this summer ahead of a hoped-for Champions League campaign.
“Yeah, I mean, it goes without saying,” said Howe. “We want to keep our best players, and add to the squad if possible. And that's a big thing.”
Atletico fans, judging by the replies to that social media post, still miss Trippier, and Howe knows that he would also miss him next season should he be allowed to leave.
Great piece Miles and Tripps would be a real miss if he went. I respect how he pulled his game together this season after it fell away last. Right now NUFC are not quite the same team without him.