Arne Slot has urged Liverpool fans to continue to support right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold amid speculation of a summer transfer to Real Madrid continues to simmer.
Now, in the final six months of his contract, Alexander-Arnold has been the subject of a failed attempt by Madrid, who are said to be preparing a second offer for a player they intend to bring in on a free transfer in the summer anyway.
Slot has insisted Alexander-Arnold is fully committed to Liverpool, but the contract dispute has divided fans’ opinions on social media. Club hero Jamie Carragher accused the right-back’s entourage of encouraging Madrid’s rapprochement and deliberately disrupting preparations for Sunday’s big game against Manchester United.
To keep everyone together, Slot said at a press conference: “I don’t think I need to tell our fans how to react because they have always been so supportive and have supported their team and their players for so many years.”
“I have every confidence in them that they will respond in the right way because we have been together constantly in the six months I have been here.”
“And I think that’s something that stands out here, that the team and the fans have worked together for so many years. This has created so many special games and so many special things for this club that they don’t need me. “Tell them how to react.
As well as Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool are also looking to secure the future of centre-back Virgil van Dijk, while Mohamed Salah continued his public pressure on the club by declaring he is in his “final year” at Liverpool as it approaches such lack of progress in negotiations for an extension.
Despite the tension, Slot argued that the contract drama could actually benefit his team on the pitch.
“It might even be helpful if you ask me,” Slot explained. “Because if it’s just about how great we are, then maybe I need to have a meeting every week and tell the players that it’s not perfect and we need to do better.”
“For me it’s not distracting at all. I think we get enough credit for the way we play and here in the building, me with the players, we don’t talk about these situations.”
“It’s part of the business we’re in. In January it happens in every club in the world. People talk about, ‘Is he going to get in? Will he go?’ It doesn’t distract me at all and I don’t think about the players either.