Kieran Trippier has completed one of the more eye-catching transfers of the summer to date after joining Atlético Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur in a deal worth at least £20m.
The England full-back, who made over 100 appearances through a four-season stint at the north London club after arriving from Burnley, has signed a three-year contract at the Wanda Metropolitano. The 28-year-old had admitted towards the end of last season that his future at Spurs was in doubt, with Mauricio Pochettino intent on reshaping his squad for what he has called the “next chapter” of the team’s development.
Trippier had been one of the most impressive performers as England finished fourth at the World Cup in Russia last summer, scoring early in the semi-final defeat by Croatia in Moscow, but endured a difficult season last time out as his form dipped. That culminated in him missing out on selection for the Nations League campaign in Portugal last month, with Trent Alexander-Arnold having now usurped him in the pecking order.
He could yet be followed out of Spurs by his international team-mate, Danny Rose, 29, who joined Vincent Janssen and Georges-Kevin Nkoudou in being omitted from the squad which departed for Singapore on a pre-season tour on Wednesday “to explore prospective opportunities with other clubs”. Both Rose and Trippier started in the Champions League final defeat by Liverpool only six weeks ago.
Pochettino will currently have Serge Aurier and Kyle Walker-Peters as right-back options for the season ahead, although the latter has suitors at rival Premier League clubs. The manager believes Juan Foyth, nominally a centre-half, will be able to adapt to the position while interest is retained in Fulham’s left-sided player, Ryan Sessegnon, and his twin brother, Steven, who operates at right-back.
Trippier will replace Juanfran, released last month, at the Primera Liga runners-up with Atlético having failed in an attempt to secure Nélson Semedo from Barcelona. The Manchester City academy graduate joins the centre-half Felipe, secured from Porto, and left-back Renan Lodi, previously with Athletico Paranaense. The Spanish club have also secured Joao Felix for £113m from Benfica and Marcos Llorente from Real Madrid, while selling Antoine Griezmann to the champions, Barcelona, for £107.7m.
