Slot hints at Real Madrid move for Alexander-Arnold as Liverpool exit looms

Liverpool manager Arne Slot drops biggest hint yet that Trent Alexander-Arnold volition swap Anfield for Real Madrid.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has dropped the clearest hint yet that outgoing defender Trent Alexander-Arnold volition articulation Real Madrid astatine the extremity of the season.

The England planetary announced connected Monday that helium volition not beryllium signing a caller declaration with the recently crowned Premier League champions erstwhile his existent woody expires successful June.

Rumours person swirled for immoderate clip that the 26-year-old has been lining up a determination to the Spanish giants, who volition vie astatine this summer’s inaugural FIFA Club World Cup.

Real, who won past season’s UEFA Champions League, claimed the inaugural FIFA Intercontinental Cup successful Qatar successful December, and contempt failing to support their continental crown this season, volition caput to the upcoming planetary nine tourney arsenic favourites.

“He hasn’t said thing astir it himself,” Slot told a quality league connected Friday erstwhile asked if Alexander-Arnold could beryllium released aboriginal from his declaration to play for a caller nine should they beryllium competing astatine the Club World Cup.

“For me, it’s intolerable to remark connected wherever he’s going and if that is simply a nine that is going to play successful the Club World Cup,” Slot added.

“You spot by my grin – we some cognize wherever he’s going to but it hasn’t been said yet. That’s intolerable for maine to remark on.”

Slot has warned, meanwhile, that excessive transportation fees could forestall him from signing a tailor-made replacement for Alexander-Arnold.

The defender’s exit leaves Liverpool abbreviated of screen successful his position, with 21-year-old Conor Bradley, who has made 54 elder appearances, present their lone recognised right-back.

“I deliberation it would beryllium a astonishment if I were to archer you now, ‘Yes, we are looking astatine this and looking astatine that,” Slot said.

“We don’t speech astir contracts present truthful we don’t speech astir the positions oregon if we privation to amended the squad successful definite areas.”

The Dutchman added: “That’s the astir hard happening for a nine similar Liverpool if you conscionable won the league is that it is not casual to find amended players than we already have.

“And if they are there, past they inactive request to beryllium affordable and request to privation to come.

“That past happening is mostly not a problem, by the way, but transportation fees sometimes are.”

Slot confirmed Bradley volition commencement Sunday’s lucifer astatine location to Arsenal but insisted that was not a absorption to Alexander-Arnold’s announcement arsenic the Republic of Ireland planetary would person been successful the squad for Chelsea past play had helium been afloat fit.

And portion Alexander-Arnold’s determination to extremity his 20-year relation with Liverpool has provoked contrasting reactions among supporters and pundits, Slot said it was not his occupation to archer fans however they should consciousness astir the situation.

Slot, successful his archetypal play astatine Anfield aft replacing charismatic manager Jurgen Klopp, has yet to talk straight to Alexander-Arnold since the announcement, lone communicating via WhatsApp. But helium intends to clasp face-to-face talks connected Friday successful bid to gauge however the subordinate is feeling astir the fallout from his decision.

“That radical person an sentiment astir us, if it is Trent oregon maine oregon idiosyncratic else, is not caller for anyone,” said Slot.

“Probably it’s a spot much present for him than helium is utilized to, and astir apt a spot much negative, but I don’t travel each of this. I americium not present to archer the fans however they should react.

“We are each disappointed but Trent is the archetypal 1 besides who said helium would similar america arsenic a squad and a nine not to beryllium excessively overmuch distracted by this announcement.”

He added: “I americium hoping each the vigor connected Sunday goes to the players and little arsenic imaginable to Trent – unless it is affirmative past they tin bash immoderate they want.

“I worked astatine clubs similar AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord wherever each play a precise bully subordinate oregon aggregate precise bully players near the nine truthful I americium a spot much utilized to it.

“But the acquisition I person – and by the mode this nine arsenic good – is that if a precise bully subordinate is leaving the adjacent precise bully subordinate volition measurement up and that astir apt volition hap now.”

Source

:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies