The Newcastle and England right-back was a key target for Bayern Munich in the winter transfer window but after a call to Eddie Howe he decided to remain
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Kieran Trippier was enjoying the Premier League’s mini winter break in January with a trip to New York City when his phone started to heat up unexpectedly.
“It was actually crazy,” he recalled. “I was in New York and I got woke up at five o'clock saying Bayern Munich want to sign you. I was like, ‘Well, this is a bit random.’”
Struggling Bayern were keen to bolster their squad with more reliable England players. Harry Kane had of course joined, and Eric Dier had been signed on loan in January and now they wanted another Tottenham alumni in Trippier.
Trippier, speaking at the North East Football Writers’ Awards on Sunday, admitted “I never thought as a 33-year-old that Bayern Munich would want to sign me. That was more a shock to me than anybody.
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“I just got on the phone to the manager [Eddie Howe] straight away. The manager knows the commitment that I've got for the club. I never once tried to force a move out of the club. I'm here now, and the owners know the commitment that I show to the club.”
Costing £12m plus add-ons, the England right back’s influence on the squad, swapping the Champions League for a relegation battle, has led to many hailing him as the greatest signing in Newcastle United’s history. But Trippier played down that statement on the night he was crowned the region’s best player by the North East Football Writers’ Association during a black tie dinner at Ramside Hall.
“I wouldn't say I’m the best. There's some absolute legends who have signed for this club. I just try and focus on myself and helping everybody around me. I just try and be professional and give a good account myself and play for the club in the right manner and give what the fans want, and that's give everything.”
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It’s that combination of attitude and ability that attracted one of Europe’s top clubs in January, and even promoted Harry Kane to reach out to his old team-mate about the potential of a move to join him in Germany.
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“I speak to Harry all the time,” admits Trippier. “Harry was texting me, of course. He wasn’t pushing [for Trippier to sign], he was just texting. like, ‘Is it true?’ Little things like that.
"Telling me it's warmer than Newcastle, having a bit of banter. Harry's a professional. He wouldn't try and tap me up, as they say, but there was nothing to say really.”
Trippier was keen to reaffirm that he is happy with his family in the North East, and that it was a move he made two years ago for that very purpose: to settle his young family back in England.
“They absolutely love it [living in the North East]. Kids love it. We settled in really quickly. As I said, many times, the people in Newcastle are unbelievable – crazy, but unbelievable. I take it as a compliment [Bayern Munich’s interest]. I think plenty of other players would’ve jumped at the chance to go to Bayern – that's facts. But I've been loyal to the club, and my family are important. So traveling to three different countries in three years. It's not really ideal, is it?”
Tripper isn’t leaving the ‘crazy’ North East anytime soon.
A former goalkeeper, Ketch joined FourFourTwo as Deputy Editor in 2022 having worked across ChronicleLive, LeedsLive, Hull Daily Mail, YorkshireLive, Teesside Gazette and the Huddersfield Examiner as a Northern Football Editor. Prior to that he was the Senior Writer at BBC Match of the Day magazine. He has interviewed the likes of Harry Kane, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Gareth Southgate and attended two World Cup finals and a Champions League final. He has been a Newcastle United season ticket holder since 2000 and has an expensive passion for collecting classic football shirts.
