Kieran Trippier admits he had "so many issues" in his last season at Tottenham and blames the club for forcing him to miss several games for Atletico Madrid.
The 29-year-old, who joined the Rojiblancos last summer in a £20 million deal, left Spurs after struggling with injuries and form, which saw him lose his place under Mauricio Pochettino.
The England international has revealed he was struggling "for months" with groin and pelvic problems. But when he requested to have surgery, he alleges the north London club disagreed on the timing.
Trippier later underwent surgery during Spain's winter break, meaning he missed the first leg of the Champons League tie against Liverpool. And the full-back admits he was frustrated by his former club's decision not to operate earlier.
“I certainly feel I am a better player than I was last season at Tottenham," he told The Sunday Mirror.
"Last season was a difficult moment because I was struggling with injuries. It is not an excuse because I was not hiding about it. But I struggled for months with my groin and pelvis and I eventually had surgery just after the winter break in Spain in January.
“Because of the timing of the break and the operation I was only out for a few weeks and now I feel so much better.
“I should have had it last season at Spurs but people didn’t want me to have it then.
"I had so many issues with the last season there and about the way I performed and struggled with injuries.
“It got to a point where I had to have surgery this season and really I should have had it done last season. But there were so many important games... I don’t really want to go into it.”
