Kieran Trippier is closing in on a move from Atletico Madrid to Newcastle United.
The 31-year-old seems set to become PIF’s first signing as Toon owners, with a £12million fee reportedly agreed on Tuesday night.
It’s a brilliant piece of business by the Magpies. We’re set to sign an England international from a Champions League club. Trippier is a player who walks into our starting XI, and his arrival will be a real statement of intent.
Hopefully signing Trippier will convince other big names to move to St James’ Park. There had been fears that players would be put off joining the club due to our precarious Premier League position.
But Trippier has dispelled that myth, and will reportedly arrive in the North East today ahead of a medical.
The Newcastle owners should be delighted with themselves. Fans are excited too, and rightly so. This is a wonderful start to the transfer window.
But what is the view over in Spain?
Atletico losing a ‘first choice’ player
Spanish football expert Sid Lowe spoke to the Guardian’s Football Weekly about the Trippier deal, and gave an insight into what Atleti are saying about the transfer.
“I think something had shifted by the fact that in the summer Trippier was interested in that move to Manchester United and that didn’t happen and Atletico blocked it,” Lowe told Football Weekly.
“And now, from Atletico’s point of view, it’s a case of do Newcastle, or another club, but I suspect Newcastle, come with enough money that we think well actually we take this.
“But speaking to people at the club at the weekend, their view on this is very much you lose basically your only real right back. You’ve got [Sime] Vrsaljko, but your absolute first choice right-back halfway through the season at a time when maybe you can’t react and get someone else in.”
Atletico view on Trippier sums up how good a deal it is by Newcastle
While outsiders might claim Newcastle are signing an ageing player on huge wages, the view from the two clubs involved is completely different.
As Lowe says, the La Liga champions are losing a player who starts most weeks for Diego Simeone. He’s had two brilliants years in Spain, lifting the title in 2021.
But he wants to come back to England and be closer to his family, which has no doubt aided Newcastle’s attempts to sign him.
Atletico are losing a top player, and Newcastle are gaining one. It’s as simple as that. And to get him for just £12million – fantastic.
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