Friday 13 September 2019 08:57, UK
Mauricio Pochettino says Kieran Trippier tried to contact him to explain he felt his words had been "twisted" while on international duty, when he appeared to criticise the club's handling of his departure.
The England right-back claimed last week that he "didn't really get an answer" when he asked chairman Daniel Levy about his future in the summer, before a £22m switch to Atletico Madrid.
"I heard rumours about them selling me and it's not nice but it happens and it's football", Trippier said.
"I tried to speak to the chairman, I just didn't really get an answer. Tottenham got rid of me at the wrong time"
Pochettino revealed Trippier sent him a text this week but he did not receive it after changing numbers, leaving Harry Kane to pass on the message on the player's return from international duty.
The Spurs boss said: "I didn't see [Trippier's comments], but I heard about it. I can explain how I feel. We had a conversation where he explained he was going to move to Atletico Madrid - nothing more.
"Yesterday (Wednesday) when Harry Kane arrived back he said to me 'did you get Kieran's text?' I said 'no' because I changed my number. Maybe because he doesn't have the new number.
"Because he believes his words were twisted - I don't know nothing more. Kieran translated this message to me through Harry Kane. He wanted to tell me. But I've got no problem with Kieran.
"In football decisions happen and players move from one club to another. What happened, happened and we need to move on and he needs to think of Atletico Madrid and be happy there.
"There's no point to talk about if something happened or didn't happen. The reality is one reality, but who is right in all this process? There's no point in talking. But I keep very good memories from him.
"After the summer he came to see me, he asked me for a meeting and said 'gaffer, I think I have a good possibility and for different reasons I would like to accept the offer from Atletico Madrid'."
Trippier spent four seasons at Tottenham, during which time he became Pochettino's first-choice right-back, earning him a call-up for England.
He was heralded as one of the players of the 2018 World Cup, scoring in the Three Lions' semi-final defeat to Croatia.
The Tottenham boss also suggested the club deserved some credit for transforming him from "a second division player" to an England international.
"We signed him from Burnley, and he was worried about whether he would play or not," said Pochettino.
"I said to him we'd provide the best platform and a year-and-a-half later he was in the starting eleven, the national team played in the World Cup and he's now at Atletico Madrid.
"He was a second division player when we signed him, so we feel proud to help him achieve his dream and reach a level he wasn't at before he arrived here"
The Spurs boss claims "what happened, happened" regarding Trippier's move to the Spanish capital, and that he hopes the defender enjoys his experience at the La Liga club.
But he remained uneasy with the suggestion that the defender felt unwanted at Spurs.
"It wasn't a conversation - you want me? Or you don't want me? It was so clear.
"He played the final, when I had plenty of different options, with Serge Aurier, Davinson Sanchez, Kyle Walker-Peters. But he played the final. My actions talk more than my mouth.
"He didn't ask me nothing - only communicated whether the club was going to accept the offer. Nothing more."
