Trent Alexander-Arnold’s professionalism impresses Arne Slot amid speculation

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has praised the commitment shown by Trent Alexander-Arnold to return to fitness but offered no insight into whether the defender’s long-term future remained at the club.

The England right-back is out of contract in the summer and has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid.

In the last week Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, who were also due to become free agents in June, have signed new two-year contracts but the position of Alexander-Arnold is less clear.

The 26-year-old has missed four matches with an ankle injury but is in contention for a place on the bench at Leicester on Sunday, when the Reds could clinch the title if Arsenal lose at Ipswich earlier in the day.

Slot said: “It’s nice that we have done two announcements and I can talk for that for hours.

“But if you want to talk for hours about Trent, it is the same answer: we don’t talk about these things that aren’t done yet and they aren’t and that’s why we don’t talk in public about the situation.

“Trent is coming back from an injury and trained with us yesterday. Every time he trained or played with us he showed his commitment and he has worked hard to be back already now.

“The moment he is on the pitch, he shows me what a great player he is and he has showed how hard he is trying to achieve our goals this season.

“He has worked so hard during the whole season and now in his rehab to be back with the team again.

“The fans and everyone who watched football for the last five, six, seven years knows he is an incredible full-back and has been an incredible full-back for this football club.

“Let’s see what the future brings.”

Slot believes securing Salah and Van Dijk is the start of the champions-elect’s squad strengthening