Eddie Howe Dismisses Kieran Trippier Transfer Speculation Amid Everton Links

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Eddie Howe has dismissed rumours about Kieran Trippier wanting to leave Newcastle United. Despite reports linking Trippier with a move away, Howe insists the defender remains a crucial part of the squad. Trippier was left out of the team for Newcastle's win over Southampton last week, with Tino Livramento starting instead.

Howe emphasised that Trippier has been training well and is fully committed to the team. "The situation is business as usual. Tripps has trained really well this week," said Howe. He added, "I'm surprised by a lot of the stories that have come out. A valuable member of the squad. His professionalism has been first class."

Reports surfaced on Thursday suggesting that Everton had discussed a loan move for the 33-year-old defender. Other clubs like Galatasaray and Atalanta were also mentioned as potential suitors for Trippier, who joined Newcastle from Atletico Madrid in 2022.

Trippier recently saw Bruno Guimaraes take over the team captain's armband, but Howe assured that he remains integral to Newcastle's leadership group. "Jamaal [Lascelles] has been promoted to club captain, so he's going to oversee the other captains," Howe explained. "He's an incredible leader behind-the-scenes, and Kieran [Trippier] and Dan [Burn] in the leadership group continue their roles."

Howe further elaborated on the leadership structure, stating, "Bruno has stepped up to be team captain, but we need eleven leaders on the pitch, regardless of who wears the armband." This indicates a collective approach to leadership within the squad.

Trippier's Performance Statistics

No defender created as many chances in the Premier League last season as Trippier (65), who registered 10 assists in 28 top-flight appearances. The former Tottenham full-back crafted 26 goalscoring opportunities from set-pieces, while his 212 crosses also topped the charts among Premier League defenders, with 69 of those being successful.

Despite his impressive stats, Everton manager Sean Dyche suggested that right-back is not a priority position for his team heading into the final week of the transfer window. Trippier played under Dyche during his time at Burnley before moving to Spurs in 2015.

Howe reiterated his desire to keep Trippier at St James' Park and highlighted his importance to the team. "He's just trained as normal and he's been very good," Howe said. "I'm not really sure where this has come from. He's preparing as we all are for the game on Sunday."

The speculation around Trippier's future seems unfounded according to Howe, who continues to value him highly within Newcastle United's setup.