Arne Slot said it is “ridiculous” to dispute Trent Alexander-Arnold’s commitment to Liverpool after he scored the only goal at Leicester to push his club closer to a 20th league title. The 26-year-old, who is expected to join Real Madrid on a free this summer, fired in his first left-foot goal for his boyhood club on his return from an ankle injury to secure victory and condemn Leicester to relegation.
Alexander-Arnold, who scored within five minutes of replacing Conor Bradley, is poised to join Real on a long-term contract when his Liverpool contract expires. He celebrated at Leicester by removing his shirt and Kostas Tsimikas placed it on the corner flag nearest to the away fans. Following the match the full-back soaked up their adulation after Virgil van Dijk ushered him towards them. Alexander-Arnold, who joined Liverpool aged six, has won every domestic trophy with the club, plus the Champions League.
“It is a big moment and big players like to have big moments in their career,” Slot said. “Virgil had one last week [scoring the winning goal against West Ham], a special moment, Mo [Salah] has had them many times this season and players like Trent, they step up when needed. He did that against Newcastle and in his second-half performance against Paris Saint‑Germain when I was just waiting for him to score a goal and then he had to go off with an injury.”
Asked whether Liverpool have given up hope of keeping Alexander-Arnold, Slot said: “The headline should be today the goal he scored and not about his contract but what I can say is it would be ridiculous if someone argues his commitment for this club because the work rate he has put in today to be back and score such an important goal, and all the work he has done for this club in all the years he is here, no one should, in my opinion, argue with his commitment for this club. Let the headlines be his great goal and not his contract situation.”
Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was appointed in November as Leicester manager on a contract until 2027, said he is planning to be in charge next season but his future is thought to be in doubt. Leicester have sounded out potential successors in recent weeks.
“We have to use this time to get better,” Van Nistelrooy said. “The club will continue and it is my job to put the club in the best place possible.”
• This article was amended on 19 April 2025. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s shirt was placed on the corner flag by Kostas Tsimikas, not by Alexander-Arnold himself as an earlier version said.
