Poch: No rift with Trippier after move to Atletico

MAURICIO Pochettino has played down talk of a potential rift with f o r m e r To t t e n h a m defender Kieran Trippier (right), who criticised his old club on international duty.

The England right-back departed Spurs this summer for Atletico Madrid after four seasons in a transfer worth £20 million and has enjoyed a strong start to life in Spain.

It saw Trippier recalled to Gareth Southgate’s national team and he played the whole 90 minutes i n Saturday’s 4-0 win over Bulgaria.

Ahead of the Euro 2020 qualifier, the former Burnley full-back opened up about his Tottenham exit and told reporters: “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.”

Pochettino dismissed suggestions there was any bad blood between the pair in his press conference ahead of tomorrow’s Premier League fixture at home to Crystal Palace

“We had a conversation where he explained he was going to move to Atletico Madrid – OK, nothing more,” he said.

“Wednesday when Harry Kane arrived back he said to me ‘did you get Kieran’s text?’ I said ‘no’ because I changed my number.

“Because he

(Trippier) believes his words were twisted – I don’t know nothing more. Kieran translated this message to me through Harry Kane.

“In football, decisions happen and players move from one club to another. What happened, happened and we need to move on and he needs to think of Atletico Madrid and be happy there.

“There’s no point to talk but I keep very good memories from him.”

During his conversation with reporters, Trippier added: “It’s not nice when you know the club want to sell you. I heard rumours about them selling me and it’s not nice but it happens and it’s football.”

Yet Pochettino’s version of events is slightly different and he pointed out he had faith in the Bury-born defender, hence why he started in the Champions League Final against Liverpool.

Trippier candidly stated throughout the 2018-19 campaign that he struggled for form but still played 38 times for Tottenham in all competitions.

Pochettino added: “After the summer he came to see me, he asked me for a meeting and said ‘gaffer, I think I have a good possibility and for different reasons I would like to accept the offer from Atletico Madrid’.

“He didn’t ask me nothing. Only communicated whether the club were going to accept the offer. Nothing more.

“It wasn’t a conversation – you want me? Or you don’t want me? It was so clear.”