In a recent interview with Football Insider, Noel Whelan has urged Aston Villa to land Atletico Madrid defender Kieran Trippier when he said, “It would be a real coup if they can get him out of Atletico Madrid but they have sold players in recent times that you never thought they would sell, take Godin for example.
“Trippier had a very good season in Spain and I was very surprised when he left Tottenham, quite frankly.
“If they do get him it could provide some stability to the right-hand side. Villa have been chopping and changing on that right-hand side with wing-backs. Elmohamady has come in, Guilbert has played at times – it is a position that has never ben controlled by one player.
“Trippier would definitely add strength to the team. Villa made a lot of defensive progress towards the end of the season and Trippier would add a lot more quality and discipline to that side, offensively as well as defensively and let’s not forget that he is a set-piece taker as well. He is a specialist.”
Trippier’s Positive Season At The Spanish Capital
The 29-year-old made himself a useful member of Diego Simeone’s squad by putting in a series of solid displays on the right side of the Atletico Madrid defence. He was involved in 33 matches for the Spanish outfit in the previous campaign, picking up five assists and two yellow cards in multiple competitions.
Tripper managed to showcase a level of consistency which he struggled to find at Tottenham Hotspur after averaging 2.0 tackles, 1.0 interceptions, 1.6 clearances, 1.7 key passes and 0.5 dribbles per game in the Spanish top-flight and the UEFA Champions League last season. The 19-capped England international can improve his accuracy when distributing the ball as he had completed only 76.7% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).
What Will The English Full-Back Add To Dean Smith’s Team?
Trippier is a bright and energetic presence on the right flank as he works hard to get himself involved in the final third. He is also a strong figure at the back and can contribute defensively by making a few crucial interceptions and last-ditch clearances for his team. The ex-Tottenham Hotspur talent has got the vision to whip in some decisive crosses into the opponent’s penalty area and is renowned for being a specialist from set-pieces.
An all-around and experienced right-back like Trippier will be a fantastic acquisition for the Villans if they can convince him to make a switch to Villa Park ahead of the closure of the summer transfer window later this year. Noel Whelan has hit the nail on his head with his claims that the English defensive ace will add some much-needed stability to Dean Smith’s backline.
Trippier will be a significant upgrade over Ahmed Elmohamady and Frederic Guilbert after both players have failed to give a good account of themselves during the 2019-20 Premier League campaign. Plus, he could help the West Midlands retain their top-flight status once again in the upcoming season by producing some assured performances on the defensive end of the field.
