Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has said he is “disappointed” that defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has decided to leave the club this summer but has backed the Reds to adapt following his departure.
Alexander-Arnold, who is expected to join Real Madrid on a free transfer, announced his decision to leave Liverpool in a statement on Monday.
Sources told ESPN in March that Madrid are “very optimistic” about signing the England international although an agreement has not been finalised.
Alexander-Arnold joined Liverpool’s academy at the age of six and has gone on to make more than 350 appearances for the club, winning eight major honours.
Sources have told ESPN that the defender rejected a pay deal at Anfield that would have made him one of the best-paid full-backs in world football.
“Like everybody who likes Liverpool and who is a fan of Liverpool we are disappointed for him leaving because not only a good human being is leaving but a very good full-back is leaving us as well,” Slot said in a news conference on Friday.
“I also worked at clubs like AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord where every season good players left, so I am a bit more used to it. The experience I have and this club as well, is if a good very good player is leaving, the next very good player will step up and that is what probably will happen again.”
Sources have told ESPN Real Madrid want Alexander-Arnold to join them for this summer’s Club World Cup and are planning to hold talks with Liverpool to negotiate an early release from his contract.
Refusing to be drawn on the matter, Slot said: “Do you know where Trent is going? He hasn’t said anything about it himself. The only thing he has said that he will leave the club, so it is impossible to comment on where he is going and if that is a club that will play in the Club World Cup. You see by my smile, we both know where he is going to but it hasn’t been said yet.”
Asked about the reaction to Alexander-Arnold’s departure, Slot added: “That people have an opinion about us, whether it’s Trent or me or someone else that works in this industry, that’s not new for anyone. For him, it’s a bit more negative than he’s used to but I don’t follow all of this.
“I’m not here to tell the fans how they should react. I will see Trent in a bit. The boys had a few days off as well. I will wait and see how he feels about him announcing he’s going to leave the club.
“I did speak to him on WhatsApp but let’s wait and see. I think we are all disappointed, but I think Trent was the first one to say he doesn’t want us as a club and as a team to be too distracted by this announcement. I’m hoping all of the energy goes to the players.”
Slot also confirmed that right-back Conor Bradley is likely to start Liverpool’s Premier League clash with Arsenal on Sunday, with the 21-year-old in need of more game time after an injury-plagued season.
“Let’s not compare him with Trent,” Slot said. “They’re two different types [of player]. With Conor we all [see] the potential. He’s a very talented player. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been fit throughout the whole season. To become a very good player, you have to be available every single week as well.
“That’s the first step he has to make for next season, but we have a lot of confidence in Conor as a very good full-back for Liverpool and that is what he has already shown.”