Kieran Trippier opens up on failed Man Utd move and explains why deal collapsed
Newcastle and England defender Kieran Trippier has revealed how close he came to joining Manchester United in the months leading up to his move to St James' Park
Kieran Trippier has detailed the circumstances behind his failed move to Manchester United, revealing that previous interest from the Red Devils "just fell away".
The England international, 33, was heavily linked with United towards the end of his two-and-a-half year spell with Atletico Madrid back in the summer of 2021. Ultimately, though, a switch failed to materialise and Trippier remained in Spain for a further six months before Newcastle came calling in the January transfer window, signing the right-back in a £12million deal.
Trippier has gone on to establish himself as one of the Magpies' most influential players over the past 18 months. It is no secret that Trippier, who started his career at Manchester City, is a boyhood Red Devils fan. And speaking on The Overlap, via Sky Bet, he revealed all about the interest from United.
He said: “When I was in Madrid, the season before I left it was a tough year for me for numerous reasons. I just wanted to come back to England, my family was finding it difficult at the time. I could have stayed at Atletico Madrid, I could have signed a new 3-year contract. Simeone in the car park on the day I was leaving didn’t want me to go but it was the right thing at the right time for my family.
“As players you have to be realistic of where you can go. I knew I wasn’t going to sign for Manchester City or Liverpool, I knew I was restricted to certain clubs. [Manchester] United did come [in for me] straight after the Euros and that was very close. I grew up with my family being reds, but it didn’t happen. Everything happens for a reason.”
When Trippier was pressed by Gary Neville about Manchester United's interest, he went on to reveal that he thought the switch, which would have seen him player under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, "seemed perfect". He also quashed talk that he joined Newcastle six months later for money, given the switch took place shortly after the Magpies were taken over by a consortium led by the Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
On the interest from United, Trippier explained: “[On the Manchester United deal] It just fell away. Ole was the manager at the time and everything seemed perfect, I was chuffed, it was Manchester United, the biggest club in the world. It didn’t happen and I was back at Madrid. Six months later I was at Newcastle.
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“Everyone raised their eyebrows, obviously people were saying he is going for the money, and he is going for this and that. I have made it clear many times that I took less money going to Newcastle than I did [staying] at Madrid. I didn’t have a relegation clause, even at the position we were in, I trusted the manager and that is a key factor to why I came.”
Trippier, who is set to play a prominent role for England at Euro 2024. The right-back turns 34 later this year and he went on to admit that he doesn't know whether or not this summer's tournament in Germany will be his last as an England player.
When he was asked if he had plans to continue playing football for a few years yet, he added: “100 per cent. I go in every single day looking forward to train. It has never once crossed my mind about when I'm going to finish [playing football], of course the international side more so, for sure. You never know [if this will be his last international tournament]. I’m one of those where I'll never come out and officially retire, I'll always be there if I'm needed.”
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