Football News

Former Tottenham star blasts Daniel Levy for transfer which ‘cost the club a trophy’

Former Tottenham star Kieran Trippier, who recently joined Newcastle from Atletico Madrid, has given a sensational interview about Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.

Trippier swapped Burnley for Tottenham in July 2015, with the north London club paying less than £5million for his signature. The right-back went on to make 114 appearances in all competitions, scoring on two occasions.

He helped Tottenham to reach the Champions League final in 2018-19, where they were aiming to end their long wait for a trophy.

But it was not to be as Liverpool ran out 2-0 winners in Atletico’s Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.

Trippier left Spurs that summer to link up with Diego Simeone’s team. After winning a La Liga title, he is now back in the Premier League with Newcastle.

During an interview with Alan Shearer for The Athletic, Trippier opened up about Levy’s involvement in his departure. He also slammed a transfer which potentially cost Spurs the Champions League crown.

Kieran Trippier explains Tottenham exit

“As a footballer, you’re trying to do your best and sometimes things don’t go your way,” the defender said. “It just wasn’t happening, but I was still getting picked by Mauricio Pochettino.

“After the Champions League final, it felt like the right time to move on. The media weren’t really on my side at the time and maybe I needed to get out of England for a bit just to clear my mind. I never looked back.

“What annoyed me… as you know, people in football speak and there are always rumours, but I know 100 per cent for a fact – and this is what I was most angry about – that two months before the end of the season, Daniel (Levy) was offering me to other clubs.

“I knew for certain that was happening, so I knew my time there must be up. I was playing for my team-mates and the supporters, but I also knew I wasn’t wanted.”

Farhad Moshiri, Mike Ashley, Ken Bates and more of the most unpopular owners in football history

Star left baffled by team-mate’s move

Trippier then spoke about central midfielder Mousa Dembele. The Belgian was a first-team regular before being sold to Chinese side Guangzhou City five months before the UCL final.

“For me, the big one was selling Dembele that January. I think I can speak on behalf of the players who were there,” Trippier added.

“In the dressing room, he was an unbelievable person and all the lads loved him, but on the pitch he was the kind of player who would make a couple of per cent difference. That’s what wins you things.

“It baffled me that they would sell him. I know he was going to be a free (transfer) in the summer, but with the things we were challenging for, I would have kept him there and then let him go. He was the difference between winning a trophy or not.”

READ MORE: Tottenham interest returns with Antonio Conte a ‘keen admirer’ of Bayern player

The post Former Tottenham star blasts Daniel Levy for transfer which ‘cost the club a trophy’ appeared first on TEAMtalk.