Liverpool boss Arne Slot has insisted Trent Alexander-Arnold is “fully committed” to the club despite interest from Real Madrid.
Alexander-Arnold, 26, has been heavily linked with Los Blancos for some months. The Liverpool academy graduate’s contract at Anfield is due to expire this summer.
He is now able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club given he has entered the final six months of his deal. Reports claimed Real were planning on waiting until the end of the season to sign the right-back for free. But on Tuesday, Real made an approach to sign Alexander-Arnold this month.
Liverpool quickly rebuffed any approach for Alexander-Arnold. Talks didn’t even reach the stage of a bid being submitted. It is thought Liverpool are unwilling to let Alexander-Arnold go this month and are still locked in contract talks with the defender.
And Arne Slot has spoken out on Alexander-Arnold’s focus ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Manchester United this weekend.
Arne Slot: Trent Alexander-Arnold Is Focused On Liverpool
While Trent Alexander-Arnold’s contract situation has been one of the hot talking points in the build-up to the January window opening, Slot has refused to be drawn in on Real Madrid’s interest.
“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 football clubs in the world, everyone for 12 months long is talking about you, sometimes in relation to other clubs,” Slot said.
“That happens so many times for our players that if that destabilises them, then we really would have had a problem not only now, but also in the past six months, because I think there were some talks about our players in the past six months and I don’t think that destabilised them at all.”
When asked if he thought Alexander-Arnold could leave this month, Slot added: “I can tell you that he’s playing on Sunday. I think everybody saw how great of a first half of season he had, how much he is here, how much he wants to win here.
Arne Slot on Trent: "I can tell you that he is playing on Sunday! I see him at training every day, working his ass off!" pic.twitter.com/Mt2bTs87lU
— BeanymanSports (@BeanymanSports) January 3, 2025
“He played an incredible game against West Ham. I think we all saw the pass he gave for the second goal to Mo [Salah]. I see him on the training ground every day, working his a*** off, so he’s fully committed to us.”
Slot confirmed he has spoken to Alexander-Arnold since Real made their approach. However, the Dutchman has refused to reveal what was spoken about.
“I speak to every player once in a while,” he said. “For Trent that is the same, so yes, I spoke to him. These conversations I have never shared. It was a conversation as many others we had, me and Trent. Let’s leave it at that.”
