Daniel Levy is widely renowned for his shrewd negotiating skills and ability to spot a cut-price bargain deal, and his decision to sign Kieran Trippier in 2015 represented one of his finest pieces of business to date.
Trippier started his career at Manchester City, where he rose through the youth system before embarking on a handful of loan spells with Barnsley and Burnley. Competition for a starting berth during a period of time in which City were in the midst of a crazy transition period proved too intense for the aspiring full-back, and he decided to complete a permanent switch to the Clarets in 2012.
The step down to Championship football provided Trippier with the platform to launch his fledgling career, and he impressed supporters both inside and outside the club in the second-tier. Two and a half seasons of Championship football allowed Trippier to refine core aspects of his game, including his outstanding crossing ability, which was perfected within a side who relied heavily on crosses and set-pieces.
His fine form persisted following promotion, with assists against Manchester United and Chelsea showcasing the depth of his talent. But it seems that Daniel Levy was the only owner from the elite English clubs to take note of Trippier’s ability, as he completed a deal worth a measly £4.4 million at the end of his first full season in the top-flight, and with it Tottenham welcomed a future star to north London.
Strong competition from Kyle Walker initially restricted his progress, but that Gareth Southgate adapted his system to accommodate both Trppier and Walker in his starting line-up in the 2018 World Cup illuminates just how far the Man City trainee has come since he signed for Spurs.
After a series of fine performances in Russia and a semi-final goal which will live long in the memory of England supporters, despite its relative insignificance in hindsight, Trippier has struggled to emulate the form which catapulted him to stardom in the summer so far this season.
Basic defensive errors have tarnished his performances and he has come under fire from the supporters for his lacklustre form, but even with his slump to consider it’s fair to say that Levy pulled off a brilliant piece of business to sign Trippier for just £4.4 million.
Considering the extent of his astronomical rise in recent years, Trippier could now be worth as much as ten times what Spurs initially paid for him.
Should a rival bidder come swooping for his signature, Levy is in a position to command a healthy profit for a player who has risen from back-up full-back to regular England international in the space of little more than three years at the club.
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