Arne Slot says he has spoken to Trent Alexander-Arnold about Real Madrid’s interest in the Liverpool full-back and is confident transfer speculation around him won’t destabilise his performances.
Liverpool rejected an approach for a January transfer from Real on New Year’s Eve, with the Spanish giants seeking to bring forward their move for the England international due to the long-term injury to Dani Carvajal.
The Reds made it clear that they have no intention of selling Alexander-Arnold this month, and that they remain hopeful of agreeing a new deal with the club’s vice-captain.
Asked about Alexander-Arnold’s future and his discussions with him, Slot said: “Do you really think (I will say)…? I completely understand the question and why you ask it but you already know the answer, these conversations I have never shared, not about Trent not about any others, about what I talk to them about.
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“If it would destabilise players at Liverpool if other people talk about them then we would really have a problem because if you play at one of the biggest clubs in the world everybody is always – for 12 months long – talking about you, sometimes in relation to other clubs.
“That happens so, so many times for our players so if that destabilises them then we really would have had a problem not only now but in the last six months because there were some talks about our players in the last six months and I don’t think it destabilised them at all.”
Slot says Alexander-Arnold’s head hasn’t been turned
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Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images)
On the potential of him leaving in January, Slot added: “I can tell you he is playing on Sunday (against Manchester United) and hopefully he brings the same performances as he brought in for the last half-year because everybody saw how great a first half of the season he had, how much he is here, how much he wants to win here.
“He played an incredible game against West Ham, we all remember the pass he gave to Mo. I see him on the training ground every day working his a*** off. He is fully committed to us and he will play on Sunday – if they don’t tell me he is sick but I don’t expect them to.”
Arne Slot is confident the speculation won’t affect Alexander-Arnold
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Getty Images)
Slot also praised Alexander-Arnold’s performances this season, adding: “Defensively Trent has made a step up this season. Outstanding in some games but up and down in some too, so it’s about consistency for top players. That is where the biggest improvement can come.”
Real are now considering returning with another enquiry, and are willing to pay around £20.7million for a player who, as it stands, the Reds will lose for free in the summer when his contract with his boyhood club expires.
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