Arne Slot rejects theories Trent Alexander-Arnold is more likely to leave Liverpool than Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk as the contract impasse for all three looks set to rumble on into 2025
Arne Slot has rejected theories that Trent Alexander-Arnold is more likely to leave Liverpool than Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk as the contract impasse for all three looks set to rumble on into 2025. The trio of Reds stars will all be free agents at the end of the season as things stand, and they are able to speak to clubs outside of England about pre-contract deals from January 1 onwards.
Salah admitted last month he was “disappointed” not to have been offered a deal, while club captain Van Dijk has always cut a relaxed figure whenever the topic has been raised to him. Alexander-Arnold, however, has been the subject of repeated links to Real Madrid, who signed Kylian Mbappe in similar circumstances from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer window.
Speaking to American podcast Men in Blazers this week, Alexander-Arnold spoke about “building a legacy” within football when asked what his future aims were and Slot admits he was unsure if his vice-captain meant at Liverpool specifically or more generally as a player.
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The Reds’ head coach, however, does not think the full-back is any more likely to depart than Salah or Van Dijk, saying: “I don’t know exactly what [Trent] said.
“I heard about him talking about making a legacy. I don’t know if he meant in terms of [being] at one single club or just as a player. I also don’t know if it’s true that he’s the one he’s most likely to leave – we don’t talk about contracts in here! I have to see the interview back.
“He’s done well but I still see with him ups and downs, during games or in between games. His performances against City and Newcastle when he came in were incredible. But I don’t think he reached the same level against Fulham.
“We are all trying to find a certain consistency in our performances. He has got better at this but still has room for improvement.”
On Alexander-Arnold’s England career, where he has rarely been a regular at right-back, Slot added: “I don’t think about this – he plays in one position.
“Jude Bellingham can play in all three positions in the midfield. That can help you get more caps – not just quality but competition you face. We had this [for the Netherlands] with Patrick Kluivert and Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Both were good enough to get 200 caps but they had to compete so it is difficult.”