Kieran Trippier has revealed that Jordan Pickford was 'not too happy' when his England team-mate joined Newcastle United.

Trippier, of course, became the first signing of the new era when the defender swapped life in the Champions League with Atletico Madrid for an immediate relegation dogfight with Newcastle nearly two years ago. That gamble paid off.

Trippier not only played his part in sparking Newcastle's survival bid before an untimely ankle injury - the 33-year-old was an ever-present as the Magpies finished in the top four for the first time in more than two decades last season. Although Trippier and his jaded team-mates have looked like they have been feeling the full effects of an intense schedule of late, Wolves star Pedro Neto remains the only player to have created more goals in the Premier League this season than the right-back.

Trippier will now join up with Pickford and the England squad for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia during the international break. Pickford remains one of Trippier's closest friends in the squad, and in football in general, but the former Sunderland shot-stopper was certainly not shy in making his feelings clear when he learned about the veteran's move to Newcastle nearly two years ago.

"We always have banter," Trippier told Sky Sports. "He wasn't too happy that I signed here when I first came here.

"He's from Sunderland, isn't he? I can't really say on camera what he was saying. Obviously, there's a massive rivalry. It's a game I would love to experience. They have got to stay in the Championship, haven't they? There's the little dig. There's the little punch!"