LIVERPOOL, England — Liverpool manager Arne Slot has assured fans that defender Trent Alexander-Arnold is "fully committed" to the club, despite reports linking the English right-back with a move to Real Madrid. Alexander-Arnold's contract with Liverpool is set to expire at the end of the current season, which permits him to sign a pre-contract agreement with another club, provided it is outside of England.

Real Madrid is reportedly interested in acquiring Alexander-Arnold, having had an initial inquiry about his availability turned down in late December. As Liverpool gears up for a critical match against Manchester United this Sunday, Slot addressed the speculation surrounding Alexander-Arnold during his press conference. He confirmed having conversations with the player but refrained from sharing specific details regarding his future.

When questioned about whether Alexander-Arnold would remain with Liverpool beyond January, Slot stated, "I can tell you he is playing on Sunday, and hopefully he brings the same performances he brought in the past half-year." He praised the defender’s impressive performance during the first half of the season and emphasized his commitment to the team, mentioning, “I see him on the training ground every day ... he is fully committed to us.”

Moreover, Slot is confident that the ongoing interest from Madrid will not distract Alexander-Arnold. He articulated, “If it would destabilize players at Liverpool that other people talk about them, then we would really have a problem,” adding that such speculation is commonplace for many players at a club of Liverpool's stature.

Other high-profile players such as Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are also in similar contract situations, with their deals concluding at the end of the season. Salah recently indicated that negotiations for a new contract are "far away."

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