Trippier insists he didn’t join Newcastle for the money
Kieran Trippier joined Newcastle United from Atletico Madrid in January for a reported £12 million - a not-insignificant fee for a 31-year-old full-back.
He became Newcastle’s first big purchase since a Saudi-backed consortium acquired the club from Mike Ashley in October last year.
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Joining in the January transfer window meant he was dropped straight into a relegation battle as the newly minted Magpies languished in the bottom three - a far cry from his hugely successful stint in Spain, where he was fresh from helping Atleti win their second La Liga title in seven years.
The circumstances led many to question Trippier’s intentions - speaking to The True Geordie podcast, the player looked to set things straight.
What did Trippier say?
"It didn't annoy me,” Trippier said of the murmurings that he’d traded career progression for money. “For me, it doesn't bother me. I know my reasons why I came back and money wasn't one of them.
"If it was, I would have stayed in Madrid. I didn't really think of that. I was just excited about the whole thing, coming back to England and playing in the Premier League.”
Tripper has a wealth of Premier League experience, having joined Tottenham from Burnley in 2015. He was a key member of the Spurs side that finished runners-up in the Champions League, and equally important to England’s recent tournament runs: starring at the World Cup in 2018 and Euro 2021.
He insists that returning to his home country to see out the latter stages of his career was key in his decision - not his wages.
"I know my reasons why I came back, to live in the north and for my family, and of course for the project as well. I spoke to the managers, the owners about the direction they want the club to go in.
"It's exciting, and for me it was a no-brainer to come back to England."
He also spoke highly of Newcastle’s new project - he might’ve been the first but he wasn’t the only signing the club made in January, as Chris Wood, Dan Burn and Bruno Guimaraes arrived shortly after.
"[They’re] very good people,” he said of those behind the rebuild. “We were talking about the direction they want the club to go in, we all need to realise it's a building process. The most important thing for us is staying in the league this season.”
A strong run of form since Trippier’s arrival - including two goals from the England international - has meant staying in the league now seems likely. But Trippier faces an uphill battle to play again as his new side fight to stay up: he underwent surgery in February for a broken foot, although manager Eddie Howe has remained confident his right-back will return before the end of the season.
