Kieran Trippier says he “did not have to think twice” when the chance to join Atletico Madrid arose this summer.
The England international moved to the Wanda Metropolitano from Tottenham in a £20m deal in July.
After a disappointing final season in north London, Trippier has made a superb start to life in the Spanish capital.
The former Burnley right-back has been one of Atletico’s standout performers in the first few weeks of the season, impressing in both La Liga and the Champions League.
And Trippier says he jumped at the opportunity to move to “such a big club” and work under Diego Simeone.
"Obviously I was very excited when I first signed here," Trippier told BT Sport. "I know a lot about Atletico through watching them over the years. Obviously, the coaching staff; Cholo [Simeone], the way he sets his team up and you can just see from the outside that the players work so hard for the manger. And I wanted to be a part of this.
"I've always wanted to play abroad just to experience something different, and the time was now. It was a great opportunity for me to come to such a big club. Champions League football, the players that I've got here. It's just an amazing club and I've seen how close everybody is at Atletico and I'm happy to be a part of it.
"I've watched Atletico in the Champions League over the years and sometimes in La Liga, and the players they have here and also Cholo – a world class manager and everybody knows that. To learn from him and play for him: I said in many interviews last season I need to improve my defending and there's no better person to learn from.
"To be honest, when Atletico were interested, I didn't have to think twice. I spoke to a few people back at Tottenham about the opportunity to play in Spain, in La Liga, and to come to Atletico, I jumped straight at it.”
Atletico are one point adrift of La Liga leaders Real Madrid heading into this weekend’s clash with Real Valladolid.
READ MORE
The 10 biggest wins in Premier League history (or is that heaviest defeats?)
The football team destroyed by the Chernobyl disaster: FC Pripyat
