Slot says Alexander-Arnold 'fully committed' to Liverpool amid Real Madrid interest

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Trent Alexander-Arnold is fully committed to Liverpool, manager Arne Slot said Friday, amid interest in the England right back from Real Madrid.

Alexander-Arnold's contract with Liverpool expires at the end of the season so he is now free to sign a pre-contract agreement with another club if he wishes.

Madrid reportedly wants to sign him and the European champions were reportedly rebuffed when they made an initial enquiry about Alexander-Arnold in late December.

Slot was asked about the defender's situation in a news conference ahead of Liverpool's match against Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday, and he said he had had a conversation with Alexander-Arnold but would not divulge any details.

Asked if Alexander-Arnold would be staying at Liverpool beyond January, Slot only said: "I can tell you he is playing on Sunday, and hopefully he brings the same performances he brought in the past half-year.

“Because everybody saw how great a first half of the season he had, how much he is here, how much he wants to win here. I see him on the training ground every day ... he is fully committed to us.”

Slot is sure Madrid's pursuit of Alexander-Arnold isn't affecting the defender.

“If it would destabilize players at Liverpool that other people talk about them, then we would really have a problem,” Slot said, "because if you play for one of the biggest clubs in the world, everybody always, for 12 months long, will talk about you, sometimes in relation to other clubs.

“That happens so, so, so many times for our players, so if that destabilizes them then we really would have had a problem, not only now but the past six months.”

Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk also are out of contract at Liverpool at the end of the season.

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