England ace was 'close' to joining Man Utd – 'I knew City and Liverpool weren't realistic'

England defender Kieran Trippier has revealed that he was close to joining Manchester United – while he knew a move to true title-chasers Manchester City or Liverpool was never on the cards. Trippier, 33, was deployed as a right-footed left back in the Three Lions’ Euro 2024 victory over Serbia. 

Two-and-a-half years before, though, the versatile defender had a difficult decision on his hands. While he was still playing for Atletico Madrid, with whom he won a La Liga title with, he had the opportunity to return to the Premier League.

Home was calling for the ex-Tottenham Hotspur defender, who decided he wanted to return to England after three years in the Spanish capital. While he elected to choose Newcastle United in the 2022 January transfer window, Trippier revealed the Red Devils had a serious interest in his services in the previous summer.

When asked about his transfer options while speaking on The Overlap, brought to you by Sky Bet, Trippier said: “When I was in Madrid, the season before I left it was a tough year for me for numerous reasons. I just wanted to come back to England, my family was finding it difficult at the time.

“I could have stayed at Atlético Madrid, I could have signed a new 3-year contract. Simeone in the car park on the day I was leaving didn’t want me to go but it was the right thing at the right time for my family.

“As players you have to be realistic of where you can go. I knew I wasn’t going to sign for Manchester City or Liverpool, I knew I was restricted to certain clubs. [Manchester] United did come [in for me] straight after the Euros and that was very close. I grew up with my family being reds, but it didn’t happen. Everything happens for a reason.”

When asked why the move to United did not happen, he added: “It just fell away. Ole was the manager at the time and everything seemed perfect, I was chuffed, it was Manchester United, the biggest club in the world.

“It didn’t happen and I was back at Madrid. Six months later I was at Newcastle.

“Everyone raised their eyebrows, obviously people were saying, ‘He is going for the money, and he is going for this and that’.

“I have made it clear many times that I took less money going to Newcastle than I did [staying] at Madrid. I didn’t have a relegation clause, even at the position we were in, I trusted the manager and that is a key factor to why I came.”

Trippier was part of Eddie Howe’s side which broke into the top four in the 2022/23 campaign to qualify for the Champions League. Despite the Magpies taking a step backwards this season and Trippier’s campaign being hampered by injuries, Gareth Southgate still opted to take Trippier to Germany for the Euros.

The ex-Burnley defender played the full 90 minutes in the recent victory over Serbia, filling it at left-back in the absence of United’s Luke Shaw.