By Safiu Kehinde
English side, Newcastle United have made a formal bid for Atletico Madrid’s defender, Kieran Trippier following the opening of the January transfer window.
Now owned by a Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, Newcastle posed a great threat at the transfer market due to their now found financial buoyancy. Several Premier League clubs have decided not to engage in business with the Tyneside club in this transfer window.
The club, in an effort to bolster their squad, decided to take their business off English shore. They kick-start the January transfer with a bid for the former Tottenham’s full-back.
According to the Shield Gazette, talks are reportedly ‘ongoing’ between the two clubs in a deal that would reunite Tripper with Eddie Howe, a manager he worked under during his time at Burnley and someone who has spoken very highly about him in the past:
“He was a positive guy, wanted to do well, had a point to prove and was desperate to succeed,” Howe told the Bournemouth Daily Echo in 2018.
“His dedication to improve his crossing and work on his free-kicks – he used to do that a lot at Burnley. He is one of the best crossers of the ball I have ever worked with – without a doubt.”
“It was natural to him and he set up so many goals for us [at Burnley],” the current Newcastle boss had once said of Trippier.
Also longing for a return to the Premier League, Kieran Trippier made over 100 appearances in the league before joining Diego Simeone’s men. He was keen on joining Manchester United in the last transfer window, but the deal failed to materialize.
Newcastle currently sit 19th in the Premier League table, having the worst defensive record in the division this season.
