Trent Alexander-Arnold is one of three Liverpool players who could leave on a free this summer and Arne Slot has been quizzed on his right-back's future throughout the entire season
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Updated 10:00, 28 Mar 2025
Slot has defended Alexander-Arnold's defensive abilities
Arne Slot has inherited several difficult contract situations - with Trent Alexander-Arnold among them
(Image: PA)
Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid is seemingly a case of when, rather than if, after reports this week suggested the move was nearing. The Liverpool right-back, a product of the club's academy, has been among the trio of players involved in season-long contract sagas.
It is looking as though the man who wears No 66 will be leaving for pastures new having achieved everything possible whilst at Anfield. It is a kick in the teeth for the Reds, with their fans furious with the player, but others will see it as a situation of their own making.
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Nevertheless it is less than ideal for Arne Slot, who is set to deliver the Premier League in his first year, but could then be left without a host of his leading lights. Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk could also follow Alexander-Arnold in leaving Anfield, but it is the homegrown talent who has grabbed the majority of the recent headlines.
Real's interest has been well documented and they had a January bid rejected as they looked to test Liverpool's resolve. Slot has had to field questions about his right-back, his abilities, his focus and his future for much of his time at the club.
Not a distraction
Back in mid-September is when the noise around Liverpool's out of contract trio really began to develop. The Reds faced the threat of losing three of their most important players come the season's end but, back then, that didn't seem to be a major concern.
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Liverpool had started the season brightly, winning commandingly at Old Trafford, but speaking afterwards Salah made it known that he was viewing this as his final season at Anfield. All of a sudden the contract issues were now a talking point but Slot maintained it wasn't a distraction despite the dangers of losing Salah, Alexander-Arnold and co.
He said: "It's again the boring answer you are going to get from me as long as there is no news. We don't talk about contract situations here. Is it a distraction? No, it isn't because I'm fully focused on the individuals and the team. They are part of the team and I'm trying to work with them in the best possible way to get the best out of them. It's not a distraction for me at all."
Trent Alexander-Arnold's next move has been a talking point all year
Trent Alexander-Arnold's next move has been a talking point all year
Trent a good defender - but he can concentrate more
Just a fortnight later and Slot was being quizzed on just how defensively sound Alexander-Arnold was. That was a theme throughout Jurgen Klopp's tenure with the right-back's quality in the final third not always matched by his contributions in the defensive third.
Slot was coy when quizzed, but clearly backed his man, citing him as a "good defender all his life" but left room for improvement as he hinted as lapses of concentration in his game.
He said: “It’s difficult for me to judge how it has been in the years before but the only thing I know is we are talking about a player that won the Champions League and the league title so it’s clear to me that he has been a good defender all his life, but because he is so special with the ball, the main emphasis goes on him doing special things with the ball.
The Anfield faithful have pleaded with the club to retain their biggest names
The Anfield faithful have pleaded with the club to retain their biggest names
“I think with him it is not about if he is capable of doing things, it’s more can his concentration rate constantly be in 100% focus? So this is what we talk about a lot, that he has to stay active in every situation of the game, even if the ball is further away from him."
Speculation part of the job
The constant talk of where Liverpool's top players could land was still front and centre when it came to the gossip columns. It was also a regular theme in Slot's press conferences but the manager, who himself was linked with a job switch before he was announced as the Liverpool boss last season, accepted it was just part and parcel of doing what they do.
He said, with Alexander-Arnold in mind: “These players are used to being linked with all the top clubs on a daily basis. If they have contracts or not. If you think they’re disturbed by these interests, then I think you don’t do justice to how strong they are mentally and what they are used to. This is part of our job.
“I was at Feyenoord last year and they linked me with many clubs and before that and before that. This is part of this world we are living in."
Trent fully committed
The minute the January window opened is when things really changed. For starters it meant that, given the contract situation, Alexander-Arnold could sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club. Real came in with a low ball offer to see if the Reds wanted to cut their losses.
They didn't and it came just as Liverpool were preparing to face Manchester United at Anfield. All of a sudden the talk around the club was whether their right-back would choose a glamour move to the Spanish capital where good friend Jude Bellingham was waiting.
The right-back's performances have continued to be under the spotlight amid his uncertain future
The right-back's performances have continued to be under the spotlight amid his uncertain future
Slot insisted that the player's focus was solely on matters on Merseyside. He said: "I can tell you that he's playing on Sunday and hopefully he'll bring the same performances as he's brought in the last half year. I think everybody saw how great a first half of the season he had, how much he is here, how much he wants to win here. I see him on the training ground, working every day. He is fully committed to us and he will play on Sunday."
Slot backs his player
Alexander-Arnold did play on that Sunday and was well below par as United secured a surprise 2-2 draw at Anfield, which could easily have been a win. All the stats showed that much of the Manchester attacking success had come down Alexander-Arnold's side.
The timing of his difficult performance could not have been worse amid suggestions his mind was elsewhere, namely Madrid, but Slot refused to blame his player, failing to even concede that his right-back had a difficult day.
He said: "I do see a certain pattern in the goals we concede but I don't see the pattern if it is about Trent. Not at all. Trent has had one difficult game for us and maybe a few that were OK to good. Mainly, he has had great games when he played for us this season."
The landscape has continued to change since January and Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Van Dijk all appear closer to leaving than staying. Slot is yet to face the media since reports emerged suggesting a deal with Real is done for the England right-back but must be running out of ways to pour water on a fire that is burning with more and more force.
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