Daily Mail reporter Simon Jones linked former Newcastle right-back and England international Kieran Trippier to an English club once he enters free agency on July 1.
Jones reported on Thursday that Trippier was nearing a move to the relegated Wolves as he prepares to become a free agent this summer following his time in Tyneside.
On Friday, the BBC reported an agreed deal between the player and the club.
“Wolves are close to signing former England international Kieran Trippier, the BBC reported. ”The
35-year-old has verbally agreed to move to Molineux on a free transfer after his departure from Newcastle. He is expected to sign a two-year deal, with the option of a further 12 months, to become Rob Edwards’ first summer signing.“
Trippier’s Newcastle departure was confirmed by the club before the Premier League ended, finishing a spell that began in January 2022, the first transfer window under the PIF ownership, and helped launch the team’s rise under Eddie Howe.
Newcastle announced earlier this spring that Trippier would leave when his contract expired, with the club paying tribute to his role in their climb from relegation trouble to European football and domestic silverware in that 2022-2026 span.
The right-back was one of the first major signings of the Saudi-led ownership era and quickly became a central figure in Howe’s side, on and off the pitch. Trippier brought vast experience on both domestic and continental levels, was a menace at set-piece plays, and was a bona fide veteran leader in the Magpies’ locker room, pushing Newcastle to qualify for the Champions League and win the Carabao Cup.
Trippier’s age and slight decline forced him into a diminished role over time as Newcastle moved toward younger options, such as fellow England international Tino Livramento, who has now become a major part of the club’s long-term plans at the position.
For Wolves, Trippier will offer Premier League experience and the same leadership he added to Newcastle on a free transfer, and for a team that will need more than a few veteran voices to get out of the hole they dug for themselves.
Newcastle has moved on from one of the defining players of the Howe era, and he will be headed to the Championship next season.
