Kieran Trippier claims Tottenham sold him to Atletico Madrid 'at the wrong time' despite 'car crash' form

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Tom Doyle2 September 2019

Kieran Trippier has suggested that Tottenham were too hasty in selling him to Atletico Madrid despite admitting his form was "like a car crash" following the World Cup.

Trippier signed for Spurs in 2015, but it took until the 2016-17 season for the right-back to impress while deputising for Kyle Walker.

With Walker sold to Manchester City in summer 2017, Trippier's fine form saw him become a regular for Mauricio Pochettino's side and earn a spot in England's World Cup squad.

Trippier's high point came with a stunning free-kick to put England 1-0 up against Croatia in the semi-final, though the Three Lions eventually went on to lose 2-1.

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The wing-back's form then tailed off back in the Premier League before nose-diving completely, and, following talks with Pochettino and Daniel Levy this summer, Trippier joined Atletico Madrid for £20million.

In hindsight Spurs' decision to sell Trippier looks rash, with Davinson Sanchez struggling as a makeshift right-back in Sunday's north London derby with Juan Foyth and Kyle Walker-Peters both out injured and Serge Aurier left out after being encouraged to leave the club.

Trippier has taken to life in Spain quickly, with Diego Simeone starting him in all three of Atletico's LaLiga games this season - all victories - and earning plaudits despite some reservations among the Spanish media.

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Regarding his summer move, Trippier - recalled to the England squad over Walker for the upcoming international break - told the Telegraph: "Tottenham probably got rid of me at the wrong time because I just needed that four-week rest for recovery, because I was struggling with injuries, to come back fresh and ready.

"So, maybe I could have stayed, but I’ve got no regrets. I’m at Atletico now and I’m just looking to the future."

Trippier made no secret of his desire to stay at Spurs earlier this summer, but claims that a lack of information from Levy and Pochettino told him all he needed to know.

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“I was hearing a few rumours that I would be going at the end of the season, but it wasn’t the right time to speak to the manager or the club about it," he said. "That was playing on my mind for a few months, which it would you know, you are hearing things. I tried to block it out. I tried to do my best at Tottenham last season, I wasn’t going into games not trying.​

“I spoke to my wife and I spoke to my brother, who I speak to all the time, and decided to pull the manager in pre-season to see what was going on.​

“I had a conversation with the manager, a meeting with the chairman to see what my future was and I didn’t get the impression that they wanted to keep me. It is football. It happens.​

“I tried to speak to the chairman about it and I didn’t really get an answer. I spoke to the manager about his plans and I didn’t get a yes and I didn’t get a no. So, you get the impression.​

“It’s disappointing. I gave everything for the club and I wanted to stay, I had another couple of years left, but everything happens for a reason. ​

“Me and the manager didn’t leave on bad terms, he has done a lot for me and I respect him highly.”​

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Spurs allowed Trippier to seek a new club following his collapse in form last season, and the 28-year-old is the first to admit that his performances were not good enough.

"The whole of last season I had no excuses," he added. "My [bad] performances started after Christmas because I thought I had an OK first half of the season if I’m honest, but then it was just like a car crash. It just went ‘bang’, things weren’t going my way, I wasn’t playing well.​

"Cholo [Simeone] is one of the best managers in the world, especially on the defensive side, which I need to improve on. Last season, it was there for everybody to see. Now there is no better person to work under."

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