Kieran Trippier confessed he carried on being available for Tottenham Hotspur despite not being in his best shape and form during his final season at the club.

The defender was ever-present for Spurs during the 2018/19 season which saw the club finish fourth and reach the Champions League Final.

Now playing for Spanish giants Atletico Madrid, Trippier admitted he was struggling with injuries from October until the end of the season and that he should have seen the bigger picture at the time.

He told Football Focus: ‘It was difficult. You know you’re not playing well and you’re still getting picked.

‘You’re struggling with injuries which I probably was from October, but I was playing in big games, Champions League games, getting to the final.

‘You want to play in those big games. I was probably a bit selfish at times where I should have taken a step back and thought of the team more.

‘I was just playing through pain and I obviously didn’t have the best of seasons. I’ve admitted that but you know I’m happy I went through the difficult times like that because if it happens again I know how to control it.’

The right-back was a key man for Diego Simeone’s side before football was suspended due to coronavirus, making 19 league appearances and five Champions League starts for Los Rojiblancos.

Despite making his name in the Premier League with Spurs and Burnley before that, Trippier insists he has not regrets about moving abroad.

He added: ‘I’m at the perfect place now and I think it was the right time for me to move on and play for Atletico Madrid and play for Mister [Simeone],’ said Tripper.

‘I didn’t want to come to the end of my career and regret not going abroad.’