‘Trippier key to persuading me to sign’
NICK Pope has revealed that England team-mate Kieran Trippier helped ‘sell’ a move to Newcastle United while the pair were on international duty earlier this month.
The goalkeeper has signed a four-year deal with the Magpies after completing a £10m switch from relegated Burnley this week.
Pope was keen to make the move to St James’ Park, but Eddie Howe admitted that there was a ‘lot of interest’ in the ex-Clarets star so Trippier’s input was still important.
Trippier is the first active England international to play for Newcastle since Andros Townsend’s brief spell at the club in 2016.
Having that sort of ambassador in the Three Lions’ camp will be a real advantage for Newcastle moving forward as players ask each other questions about their respective clubs when they are away together for an extended period of time.
That is exactly what happened during England’s most recent UEFA Nations League camp when Trippier gave Pope an insight into what life at Newcastle would be like.
“I spent a couple of weeks with Tripps so I was, obviously, asking him a few questions and he was telling me everything about the lads in the dressing room, atmosphere home and away, the manager and what he’s brought to the club,” Pope explained to NUFC TV.
“It was something he really sold to me and really spoke incredibly highly of everything that’s going on.”
England boss Gareth Southgate has not been a regular in the directors’ box at St James’ over the years but, having been spotted at Newcastle’s game against Liverpool last April, the England boss now has two recent internationals to keep an eye on in Pope and Trippier.
Callum Wilson, who is desperate to hit the ground running this season in a bid to make a late push for Qatar and has four caps already, and Matt Targett, who has not given up on playing for his country, will also be on Southgate’s radar.