KIERAN TRIPPIER insists he is committed to making history at Newcastle after Bayern Munich’s failed attempt to sign him this month.
The England defender says interest from the German giants was a “compliment” but has not proved a distraction as the Toon returned from their winter break with a comfortable FA Cup win over Fulham on Saturday night – with Trippier hoping he has turned a corner after a run of terrible form.
Newcastle have conceded they need to sell top players to balance the books but rejected Bayern’s £12.5million bid for the ex-Tottenham right-back.
Trippier said: “It is always a compliment when a team like Bayern comes in for you.
“Nothing has changed since I arrived. I want to play for the club, create history and win a trophy and help the club grow.
“It is one of those things. Things happen in the background.
“As always I have had loads of conversations with the manager and they have been very positive.
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“I hope everyone knows my commitment to this club. It has not changed since I first arrived.
“It is a transfer window and I have always been committed. It has not put me off or anything like that.
“My teammates, manager and owners know how committed I am here and I wanted the supporters to know that as well because for them with all the transfer talk I wanted them to know how committed I am to the club.”
Trippier spent his winter break in New York with his wife, Charlotte, while Bayern were pushing to make the move happen.
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Asked if close mate Harry Kane had been in touch trying to tempt him to Bavaria, Trippier said: “No! Everyone knows I am close with H. But nothing has changed. I was away on my break. I just had a nice time with my wife.”
Newcastle have been frank about the need to sell some of their star names in order to balance the books and avoid any potential penalties under Premier League financial rules.
Eddie Howe has conceded that players could still leave before Thursday’s transfer deadline, with Miguel Almiron and Callum Wilson the most likely to move this month.
Trippier said: “As players we only focus on the pitch.
“Whatever happens in the background we give everything for the club and the manager.
“I personally have not been thinking of that and my team mates have not either. These things happen. I am old enough to know how the transfer window works.”
As well as having to deal with speculation over his future, Trippier has been battling his worst form since joining the club two years ago.
Trippier clashed with away fans after defeat at Bournemouth in November before making big mistakes against Everton, Tottenham and Chelsea across a bruising December.
He said: “I am happy to stand up and say that I’ve been going through some bad moments.
“It is normal, we’re human. It’s not like we do it on purpose it just happens.
“I’ve been through this situation in my career before.
“Hopefully now is a turning point where I can do better, which I know I can. I recognise when I’m in the bad moments and I’m happy to admit that. Hopefully a new year and a new chapter.
“I’m 33 but I have a lot of talks with the manager, team-mates about things we can do better personally.
“I watch games back. Win, lose or draw I analyse my performance and know where I can do better.
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“It might be nice looking at everything you do positive but you always need to go back and look at what you’re doing badly as well as that is how you move forward. That is what I do.”
The right-back confirmed that he would be fit to face Aston Villa on Tuesday having been taken off at Craven Cottage as a precaution.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
