TRIPP... TRIPP... HOORAY
Kieran kicks off spending spree as Toon get buying to win their relegation battle
KIERAN Trippier is the first player bought by Newcastle’s Saudi owners – but he won’t be the last this month.
The Toon have started really splashing the cash as they battle to stay in the Premier League.
Trippier has joined from Atletico Madrid in a £ 12m deal. The 31- yearold has arrived in Newcastle and will be pressed into action next week.
The England international was a regular for the Spanish champions and made 15 league appearances this season.
Boss Diego Simeone was gutted to see him go but Trippier wanted to be closer to his family in Yorkshire.
It looks set to be a busy January window for Newcastle boss Eddie Howe who wants to completely change his struggling defence. As well as the full- back positions, he want’s much more quality through the middle too.
His prime target for that position is Burnley’s James Tarkowski. The Clarets are right in the relegation battle with the Toon and they are unlikely to let him go even though his contract expires at the end of this season.
The Lancashire side may think earning a few million for him now is worth it, although dropping to the Championship would be much more costly.
Howe is looking for two central defenders and would like to bring Sven Botman from French side Lille although he seems closer to joining AC Milan.
Tottenham stopper Joe Rondon is another possibility as he’s not getting much time on the pitch since Antonio
Conte rocked up at the Lane. Across north London, Rob Holding is another option although he seems to have forced his way back into Arsenal’s first team.
Liverpool’s Nat Phillips is available for around £ 10m but, athough he did well for the Reds last term, he isn’t really proven as a regular starter in the top flight.
There seems little chance of getting team- mate Joe Gomez with Jurgen Klopp wanting to keep his top defenders at the club.
Move
For left- back, Everton’s Lucas Digne could be an option after he fell out with former Newcastle gaffer Rafa Benitez.
He could be brought in on loan with a view to a permanent move at the end of the season.
The Toffees have brought in two full- backs in this window so are clearly preparing for the French international to go.
With strikers Callum Wilson and Allan Saint- Maximun both facing long periods on the sidelines, the Toon would love another striker to bolster their attack.
A bid for Arsenal outcast Pierre Emerick Aubameyang seemed unlikely a couple of weeks ago but the Gunners are desperate to get rid of their former captain.
He would surely have plenty of options in Europe if he doesn’t fancy a relegation slog in the north- east.
A more realistic target may be Blackburn Rovers goal machine Ben Brereton- Diaz.
The Lancashire side are in the hunt for promotion so would like to keep hold of the hitman.
But they may have their head turned by a £ 20m bid. The Chilean international has banged 20 goals in 25 league appearances this season
and has become a cult hero in the South American country.
He would be taking the same path as Alan Shearer who swapped Ewood Park for the Toon during their glory days under Kevin Keegan.
Leeds United and West Ham are thought to be in the hunt too and a bidding war could push the fee up towards £ 30m.
Selling
Trippier is a big name to bring in at St James’s Park and boss Howe hopes getting a current England international will attract other star players.
He said: “It’s a sign that the club has a huge pull – and I’m not talking financial here.
“I’d say at this moment I am confident of bringing in more players. But we’re in the hands of clubs selling players, we’re in the hands of agents and players wanting to come.
“There are no guarantees. It might sound simple from the outside; it’s very, very different when you’re on the inside, so I’m confident, but there are no promises.
“Kieran’s got a winner’s mindset without a doubt. He’s a very positive person and he’s hugely motivated by the challenge ahead, so I didn’t have to do a massive selling job on the club or the position we’re in.
“Kieran hasn’t come for the financial benefits of the contract. He’s come for the club and for the challenge that the team faces at the current time, but also the longerterm vision, so I think that’s a massive thing for the football club.
“Hopefully with his signing, other players around the world will potentially look at that and share his dream and his vision for what he sees. That’s a big thing for us.”