Speculation over Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s expected move to Real Madrid has been “impossible” for the Liverpool squad to ignore, admits Andy Robertson.
Alexander-Arnold is currently sidelined due to a hamstring injury and there are doubts over whether the vice-captain will feature again for Liverpool.
This comes with a free transfer to Real Madrid deemed imminent, with reports over the international break suggesting a deal was all but agreed.
While Arne Slot has insisted it remains business as usual it is obvious that, in the modern era, such reports will filter down to the rest of the squad.
And speaking to journalists including the Press Association’s Carl Markham after the Merseyside derby, Robertson admitted as much.
“Trent’s head is not great because he’s injured. He hates being injured. None of us like being injured but it hurts Trent a little bit more. That’s all he is focused on,” the left-back said.
“It is impossible for me to say we have not seen all the noise and everyone commenting on it.
“But for us our focus is for him to get back fit and healthy. Once he does that, what will happen, will happen. No one knows that yet.
“People can talk and speculate but for us we want Trent back very soon.”
Robertson’s assertion that, regardless of the talk around Alexander-Arnold and ongoing doubts over both Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, Liverpool’s focus remains on the task at hand certainly rings true.
There are no signs of distraction on the pitch – perhaps bar a sluggish display from Alexander-Arnold against Man United in January – and the Reds are 13 points from the title.
“We just look to the next game. You guys talk about the 12 points but we talk about the next three points,” Robertson continued.
“Every game becomes bigger for us. We have eight games left. Every time we pick up three points brings us closer to where we want to be.
“But we are still a long way off that. It was good to be back to winning ways and we go again Sunday which will be a really tough game.
“[The fans] can get carried away, we are allowing them to get carried away and we take great pleasure in that.
“But we have to stay focused. We are the players, we have a job to do. Keep pushing and keep winning games to get us over the line.
“If the time comes we will be sure to enjoy it, but we are not thinking that far ahead.”
