Eddie Howe is reportedly targeting Manchester United linked Kieran Trippier as Newcastle United’s “first big money” signing in January.
After having a successful spell at Burnley, Trippier joined Tottenham Hotspur in 2015.
He became their first choice right-back in 2017 when Kyle Walker made the move to Manchester City.
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Trippier featured over 100 times for Spurs before he signed for Atletico Madrid in 2019 for £20m plus add-ons.
The Englishman has been an ever-present under Diego Simeone since this switch. He helped them win the La Liga title in 2020/21.
The defender has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United since the summer.
Howe was appointed as Steve Bruce’s replacement at Newcastle earlier this month. They are expected to be busy in the transfer market in January.
The Mirror are reporting that Howe wants Trippier to be his “first big money” purchase in January. They add that Newcastle believe that “they can tempt” the 31-year-old to return to the Premier League.
Speaking back in June, Dean Ashton suggested that Trippier is a better full-back than Man United’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka:
“What he’s become defensively under Simeone and how he’s grown as a player, you would say he’s a lot better than Wan-Bissaka when it comes to getting forward.
“So defensively, Trippier has improved so much and going forward he’s a lot better than Wan-Bissaka.
“Wan-Bissaka’s got lots of room to improve but he needs to do that quickly to add what Luke Shaw has added, which is a genuine threat game in, game out.
“Wan-Bissaka needs to improve in that sense. I think he can, but if you want somebody who’s ready-made and has got both of those abilities then Trippier would be that.
“I’d be very surprised if Kieran Trippier went to Manchester United.
“Wan-Bissaka is there so that doesn’t guarantee him games because Wan-Bissaka has been pretty good.
“Is he going to go to Manchester United and play every single game? No, he’s going to have to really fight for his place.
“Why would he then leave the Spanish champions? Atletico will look to go again with the changes that are happening at Barcelona and Real Madrid and have another opportunity at winning La Liga.”
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