Newcastle United have already found £32m Kieran Trippier replacement as interest emerges

Newcastle United duo Kieran Trippier & Tino Livramento. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Newcastle United duo Kieran Trippier & Tino Livramento. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Newcastle United duo Kieran Trippier & Tino Livramento. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tino Livramento has paid tribute to Kieran Trippier after being taken under the veteran right-back’s wing at Newcastle United.

Livramento joined the Magpies from Southampton last summer for an initial £32million and ended his debut campaign with 35 appearances. However, at 21-years-old, Livramento, by his own admission, still has plenty of room to develop - and that’s where Trippier has come in handy.

Now 33, Trippier has made nearly 600 appearances for club and country, winning La Liga with Atletico Madrid as well as playing in a Champions League final, two European Championship finals and a World Cup semi-final - to name a few.

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Livramento was signed as an ‘understudy’ to Trippier and the former Tottenham Hotspur man has certainly put that word in action.

“He’s been extremely helpful,” Livramento told NewcastleWorld. “You see a lot of our good play comes from the right-hand side in terms of what he’s done. So just studying his game in terms of him just being at the training ground and seeing him when he’s in that role is how I can add parts of his game to mine. He’s been a great help for me.

“While Kieran is still here I have to make the most of it, I guess. I’m still looking at him as someone who has played in the biggest games you could ever play in and being 21, I look up to him a lot. To be fair to him, he has helped me out a lot. If I need anything from him he always gives me his time of day so while he is still here I’m going to go to him for advice.”

The reality is Trippier probably wont be at St James’ Park much longer. The Bury-born full-back is into the final year of his contract and it remains to be seen whether he remains a Newcastle player when the summer window shuts amid interest from the Saudi Pro League.

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It is why it seemed appropriate to ask what Livramento’s hopes to achieve during in the upcoming campaign.

“Just playing as much as I can and speak to the coaching staff about areas they think I can improve on,” added Livramento. “Every time I get an opportunity I’ve just got to take it. As a group, we’re looking forward to seeing how well we can do this season.

“I’ve only been here for one season and I’m still 21. I’m at the point in my career where I’m still developing physically and understanding what the manager wants from me tactically, and technically I’m still brushing up on the little things. There’s still definitely a lot to still come from me.”

One of Livramento’s traits that can’t be questioned is his mental strength. The former Chelsea youngster spent a staggering 392 days on the sidelines with a serious knee injury. It also says a lot that Newcastle were willing to pay £30m+ to sign him just two games into his comeback.

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"When you're injured, it's tough. It's a struggle and you've got to find something that keeps you going and that beauty for me was trying to prove to everyone that it was a horrendous injury, but I was still very young,” said Livramento when asked his tattoo. ‘Beauty in the struggle’, lyrics from J.Cole's song 'Love Yourz.

“I had not done anything in the game yet and it was just proving to myself that I could reach that level again as a starting full-back in the Premier League. I looked to my family as well in those low moments and they helped me out a lot." As far as Livramento is concerned, his ACL injury is a thing of the past after coming through the rigours of last season. He did, however, struggle with an ankle issue, forcing him to miss a handful of matches during the latter part.

Newcastle United right-back Tino Livramento. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)Newcastle United right-back Tino Livramento. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
Newcastle United right-back Tino Livramento. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Livramento didn’t take part in team training when Eddie Howe’s squad visited Adidas HQ last week but will be ready for former club Southampton on the opening day of the Premier League season.

“I’m just looking forward to using this [pre-season] as a start. I’m fine,” said Livramento.

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“I spent a lot of time with my friends and family [in the off-season] and I was liaising with the club so I can get my work done as well as being able to relax and have a bit of fun. I had a great off-season, I feel really good now coming back into the group. It was a nice time to reflect on the season but now I feel like I’m ready to go again.

“It was a really exciting season for me coming into a massive club. I played a lot more games than maybe I thought I would. There were a lot of amazing moments and experiences for me and now I’m in a great position with the group where I feel really settled. It’s a great group to be involved in.”

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