Arne Slot uses familiar tactic as he offers update on Liverpool contract saga
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has been asked more questions about the club's out of contract players as speculation over Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk grows
by Dan Marsh · The MirrorArne Slot insists there is nothing new to report when it comes to Liverpool's three out of contract stars following the international break.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and club captain Virgil van Dijk are all out of contract next summer and free to talk with clubs from overseas in January over a potential Bosman transfer ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Slot, who took charge at Anfield in the summer, has been peppered with questions on the uber-talented Reds trifecta regularly in the early weeks of the new season. He has maintained, though, that there has been little in the way of updates worth sharing with supporters.
And the former Feyenoord chief sent a similar message on Friday when he was asked for an update on Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Van Dijk ahead of Liverpool's return to Premier League action this weekend against Chelsea.
He replied: "What is happening is they were with their national teams, Trent scored a fantastic free-kick. Same question, same answer, there will always be talks and it is normal that you asked. If they played badly - not to say s*** this time! - it's a good thing you ask that if they renew because it says they play well. I cannot say anything about it as this time."
It emerged earlier this week that Real Madrid, known to be long-term admirers of Alexander-Arnold, had made the England star a 'priority target' with the knowledge he could join them as a free agent next year.
Alexander-Arnold has spent his entire career with the Reds after breaking through as a teenager. He has gone on to make just shy of 300 appearances for his boyhood club and was named vice-captain last year.
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He played in an unfamiliar left-back role for England during their most recent match against Finland but got on the scoresheet in the 3-1 win. Commenting on his latest outing, Slot said: "Why he played well at left-back? I only saw the free-kick. Good players will always find a way into the team if they have good team-mates, which is what Trent has at England. If you play Finland and Greece, with respect, these quality players will play well. Although they lost to Greece.
"He's been very good for us until now. He was and still important when attacking and I liked the way he has defended too. He has made a step up in that perspective. But like all the others, room for improvement, that is clear.
"I think he has done well for us this season and the national team too. Three times from four Man of the Match. Let's hope he will be it for us too."
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