ThewolfAccording to The Times, Eddie Howe has made it clear to Kieran Trippier that he wants him to stay at Newcastle United next season despite strong links with a move to Saudi Arabia.
Martin Hardy reports that the Toon boss met with the 33-year-old this week to discuss his future and made it clear that the right-back remains a ‘key part of his plans for next season.’
It’s believed Newcastle are yet to receive any bids for the England international, although Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq are thought to be one of the clubs keen after seeing the defender enter the final 12 months of his contract on Tyneside.
Trippier is thought to be one of the highest earners at the club on £130,000-per-week and had been told that contract talks were due to take place over a potential extension. However, The Times report that the departure of the co-owners Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi has ‘derailed’ those discussions, which are yet to take place.
Howe feels the team ‘cannot afford’ to lose his experience and know-how on and off the pitch and is clearly pushing to keep him around.
Trippier has been given an extended break after a busy summer at Euro 2024 and is expected to link up with the squad at the end of next week, meaning he won’t feature in upcoming friendlies in Hull or Japan.
The question now is what do Newcastle’s owners and Trippier want. Do PIF prefer to cash in while they can and is the player himself eyeing an exit? His flight to the Middle East this week appears to be his final break before he returns for pre-season and not transfer related after all, but it has emerged that his family home in Northumberland is up for sale.
Drkeem
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