Kieran Trippier has no plans to turn his back on Atletico Madrid this summer, with AS pretty much ruling out the prospect of an emotional return to Burnley.
Not every big-money, big-name signing has adapted to life under the order-barking general that is Colchoneros coach Diego Simeone.
But Trippier has thrived emphatically where the likes of Raul Jimenez, Thomas Lemar, Gelson Martins and Jackson Martinez failed, enjoying a superb debut season at the Wanda Metropolitano and re-establishing himself as one of Europe’s top full-backs as a result.
Tottenham fans, who have watched on in horror as Serge Aurier blunders through another error-riddled campaign, must be wondering what on earth their club was thinking.
Yet it is not Spurs who have been tipped to bring Tripper back to the Premier League in recent days. Instead, is the club with whom the England international sealed promotion to the top-flight five years ago.
Trippier admitted to the Burnley Express recently that he would love to return to Turf Moor later on in his career and the feeling is mutual it seems. The Sun claimed that the Clarets would jump at the chance to re-sign the Bury-born flyer this summer, even if his £20 million price-tag appeared to make a shock homecoming particularly unlikely during a testing market.
However, any lingering hopes Burnley fans might have had appear to have been extinguished already.
Atletico are confident that Trippier will stick around for one more season – and the man himself is not exactly packing his bags right now.
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