Kieran Trippier plans to retire as a Burnley player
Kieran Trippier has revealed he wants to retire at Burnley and would only return to the Premier League to play at Turf Moor under Sean Dyche.
The 29-year-old England international is currently playing for Atletico Madrid in Spain and has impressed under Diego Simeone since joining the club last summer from Tottenham.
Trippier spent four years at White Hart Lane having developed into one of the Premier League’s best full-backs during a similar-length spell at Burnley.
Dyche frequently refers to having no favourite players except Trippier and it is clear the feeling is mutual, with the Bury-born defender revealing he has spoken to the Burnley boss twice a week since leaving the club in 2015.
Trippier told the Burnley Express: “We have a great relationship. We’re in contact all the time about family, football – he still mithers me about taking me back one day. It’ll happen one day for sure, I’ll 100 per cent be back playing for them.
“I would love to retire there. That’s my aim, to retire at Burnley. I want to play as high as I can for as long as I can but I’ll know when the time is right. If I’m at Atleti for another two years, that’ll take me to 32, and Burnley’s the only club that I’d come back to England for.
“After that I’d start my coaching badges and I’d love to coach at Burnley. I’d just love to go wherever Sean Dyche goes.”
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
FourFourTwo was launched in 1994 on the back of a World Cup that England hadn’t even qualified for. It was an act of madness… but it somehow worked out. Our mission is to offer our intelligent, international audience access to the game’s biggest names, insightful analysis... and a bit of a giggle. We unashamedly love this game and we hope that our coverage reflects that.
'Will Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar extend their contracts in Saudi Arabia? We play a facilitating job, but it’s down to the players and the clubs to decide' Saudi Pro League chief reveals how talks will work for out-of-contract duo
Nations League: Who are the ITV commentators and pundits for England vs Republic of Ireland?