Liverpool head coach Arne Slot says his vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold is not bothered by growing speculation surrounding his future at the Premier League club and is fully focused on questions on the ground.
The 26-year-old England right-back has been linked with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid, with his contract with Liverpool expiring at the end of the season. Alexander-Arnold said last month that his contract situation would not be made public.
Having come through the ranks at Anfield and captaining the club at youth level, Alexander-Arnold has won the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and Club World Cup, among other major honors since his debut seniors in 2016.
Captain Virgil van Dijk and winger Mohamed Salah are also out of contract at the end of the campaign.
“I think you underestimate our players. These players are used to being linked with all the big clubs on a daily basis, whether they have contracts or not,” Slot told a press conference ahead of Sunday’s Premier League home clash with Chelsea.
“If you think they are bothered by this interest, you are not doing justice to their mental strength. It’s part of our job. This is part of the world we live in. You only focus on what you have to do.
“Maybe if you’re 17 or 18, it might be difficult for you. But Trent won the league, the Champions League; Virgil and Mo the same. I don’t think it’s a problem for them to play and that’s what we’re seeing at the moment because they’re playing very well.
Liverpool, who top the Premier League table with 18 points from seven matches, will be without first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker against Chelsea as he faces a spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
Slot said he expects the 32-year-old Brazil international to return before Christmas.
“But you never know. It is always difficult to know how an injury will progress in the early stages, so we will be able to answer this question better in two or three weeks,” added the Dutchman.
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