Former England international Danny Mills has admitted he is surprised by Kieran Trippier's proposed move to Atletico Madrid and fears he may struggle in Spain.
The 28-year-old full-back is closing in on an exit from Tottenham Hotspur to join Diego Simeone's side, where he will become the first ever English player to represent the Madrid outfit.
Trippier was a regular feature in Mauricio Pochettino's side last season, making 27 Premier League appearances and a further eight in Europe as Spurs finished runners-up to Liverpool in the Champions League.
However, it appears he is no longer a part of the Argentine's plans in North London and a decline in form over the course of the past 12 months has been significant.
Prior to the 2018-19 season, Trippier was one of England's heroes after a successful World Cup campaign in Russia where a stunning free-kick opened the scoring in the semi-final against Croatia - though the Three Lions went on to lose.
While his stock has fallen in the past year, Mills has stated he is surprised by the sequence of events and is concerned that Trippier may not fit into Simeone's style of play.
"It does surprise me. This time last year, off the back of the World Cup, he was like a hero and one of the best right-backs around," he told TalkSport.
"He could have had his pick, gone anywhere, and suddenly there's not disastrous games but one or two mistakes and it looks like he's being moved on. It's a very strange situation.
"Is Atletico the right club for him? An ultra defensive club, a manager that basically tells his full-backs 'do not cross the halfway line'.
"That's why he got into the England side, his delivery in the final third is exceptional, his delivery from set-pieces and it could be a difficult move for him.
"I think it is a gamble on his part. He's going to have to make that one work, otherwise you think in a couple of seasons he has really slipped off the radar."
