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.
“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.”
Trippier surprised everyone when he joined Newcastle from Atletico Madrid in January 2022 with the club locked in a battle to survive relegation at the time, having been taken over by PCP Captial Partners and the Saudi PIF in October 2022.
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.”
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.
“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.
More stories from Matthew Ketchell
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The ‘small thing’ I spotted at Newcastle United’s training ground that underlines why Dan Ashworth’s potential departure to Manchester United is a ‘big thing’
Broadcasters are putting TV before Fans and undermining initiatives like ‘Green Football Weekend’ - here’s how to fix it
