Newcastle United have reportedly lodged a formal bid to sign Kieran Trippier as they look to get a head start in the crucial January transfer window.
According to Sky Sports, Newcastle United have submitted a formal bid to sign English international defender Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid. Talks between the two clubs are ongoing as manager Eddie Howe looks to seal his first signing in the January transfer window.
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone also confirmed Newcastle’s interest when asked about the future of Kieran Trippier. He said, “Trippier now has to decide if he wants to leave or not. We’ll move after his decision.” As per The Athletic, the 31-year-old is understood to have all but agreed to the contract himself, while clauses and other finer details if the club were relegated at the end of the season are still to be finalised.
The Magpies are languishing at 19th in the Premier League and have conceded 42 goals this season, the joint-highest in the division. Their priorities heading into January are to bolster their defensive and central midfield units, with Howe keen to revamp the spine of his side. The right-back position is understood to be one area that needs reinforcement, with the Toon hot on the trails of Trippier.
The 31-year-old joined Atletico Madrid in 2019 after a successful four-year stint at Tottenham, featuring in the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League final along the way. Since then, he has been a regular fixture in Diego Simeone’s side and was crucial to their La Liga title success last season.
Trippier was also named in the La Liga Team of the Year. The English international has been a core member of Gareth Southgate’s setup in recent years and was part of the side that reached the UEFA Euro 2020 final last summer. An early swoop for Trippier would be a major statement of intent from Newcastle’s new regime.
Interestingly, Trippier has previously worked with Howe and has the experience of being in a relegation scrap during his time at Burnley, which could prove vital for Newcastle in their current predicament. The 31-year-old is a proven player at the Premier League level and represents a significant upgrade over the current options of Javier Manquillo and Emil Krafth.
While at 31, he may not seem a particularly long-term investment, he brings with him leadership, experience and reliability to the backline. Though the veteran defender’s main task will be to shore up Newcastle’s leaky defence, Howe can also benefit from his creativity and quality in crossing situations and from set-pieces.
Trippier has also been the subject of interest from Chelsea and Manchester United; the Red Devils even launched bids to sign him last summer but fell short of Atleti’s valuation. Although Newcastle seem to be firmly in the driver’s seat for Trippier’s signature after submitting a formal bid, it remains to be seen whether the La Liga champions accept the first bid or demand more for their prized asset.