Arne Slot has spent much of his first season at Liverpool fielding questions about players’ contracts, and that continues to be the case even with two crucial players tied down.
Over the past fortnight, Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk ended months of speculation about their respective futures by agreeing two-year contract extensions at Anfield, leaving just Trent Alexander-Arnold with a question mark as to whether or not he’ll renew.
The vice-captain is widely expected to depart for Real Madrid on a free transfer over the summer, although some journalists seem prepared to leave the door ajar for the possibility of a dramatic twist in that saga now that his two illustrious teammates have committed to the Reds.
Slot responds to Trent contract question
Speaking to Jamie Carragher at the AXA Training Centre in a feature for Sky Sports, Slot typically refused to be drawn on the inevitable question as to whether the England international could still sign a new deal at Liverpool, with the 26-year-old back on the grass this week after being sidelined since mid-March with an ankle injury.
The Reds’ head coach replied: “You know my answer! We prefer to talk about announcements, not about how things are going in the contract negotiations.
“What I do know is that Trent is back on the pitch. He’s training with us again. He’s had a good season, so hopefully he can help us towards the end of the season by achieving what we all hope to achieve.
“Where his contract ends up, that is something inside here – but not when you’re here! – with Richard [Hughes, sporting director] and me, and of course it’s also about Trent.”
Will Slot give Trent a Liverpool farewell or look to the future instead?
Some Liverpool fans on social media have been contemplating the possibility of Trent sensationally completing a hat-trick of major contract renewals at Anfield, but if that is to happen, it’d necessitate a drastic turnaround which needs to happen before his current deal expires at the end of June.
In the meantime, it’ll be interesting to see how much he features on the pitch for the remainder of this season. If reports that he’s bound for Madrid are indeed accurate, will the vice-captain be given a few farewell appearances to round off his time at his boyhood club, or will Slot prefer to give Conor Brafley further auditions to become our starting right-back in the long-term?
If the 26-year-old comes back into the line-up over the next six games, there’ll inevitably be plenty of attention paid to the reception that he gets from Reds supporters. It’s very rare that Kopites volubly turn on their own, but a spate of posters erected near LFC’s stadium prior to the recent Merseyside derby weren’t exactly complimentary of the England defender.
There’s a discernible feel-good vibe around Liverpool right now after the new deals for Salah and Van Dijk, and with the extreme likelihood of a 20th league title to celebrate. Let’s hope that nothing else detracts from that and dilutes our enjoyment of a potentially glorious end to what’s been a wonderful campaign.
