Trent Alexander-Arnold
Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images
Arne Slot has broken his silence on all the Trent Alexander-Arnold reports of the last week.
Liverpool’s march toward a historic 20th league title has been overshadowed by renewed speculation over vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold’s impending free transfer to Real Madrid, with reports of a finalized agreement sparking frustration among fans during a pivotal phase of the season.
The Spanish giants, who failed with a £20 million January bid, are poised to secure the 26-year-old on a free transfer, offering wages exceeding £220,000 weekly.
The timing could hardly be worse for Liverpool. Arne Slot’s side holds a commanding 12-point lead atop the Premier League, with nine games remaining to seal their first title since 2020. However, the news has shifted focus from on-field success to off-field uncertainty
Despite offering a lucrative extension, Liverpool have seemingly failed to convince their academy product to stay.
Slot publicly praised Alexander-Arnold’s commitment as recently as January, but it seems to no avail.
Though Alexander-Arnold joins as a free agent, Madrid may pay Liverpool up to £1 million to release him early for June’s Club World Cup, where he’d feature in group-stage games before his contract expires on July 1.
Alexander-Arnold would follow David Alaba, Antonio Rüdiger, and Kylian Mbappé as high-profile free signings for Madrid.
That’s if the deal is made official, with Slot now responding to reports.
Speaking in his pre-Everton press conference, Slot kept his card very close to his chest:
“His situation is unfortunately that he is injured. For him, that means he is fully focused on his recovery.”
“We’re trying to help him to come back. We’ve never been focussed on those [outside] talks.”
“It is a situation that is here for eight months. They have done so well in these circumstances.”
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