Arne Slot confident uncertainty over future of key Liverpool trio will not prove a distraction

Arne Slot insisted he will be involved in contract talks with Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah by saying it would be “weird” if he was not consulted and shrugging off suggestions the right-back would be distracted as Real Madrid’s interest in him has become more public.

Liverpool’s captain, vice-captain and top scorer are all out of contract at the end of the season but Slot is adamant it is not an issue for him and he would only be worried if he reached the last day of the campaign with their futures still up in the air.

The Dutchman is Liverpool’s first head coach – predecessor Jurgen Klopp’s job title was manager and he had more control, albeit without getting his way when he wanted to keep Roberto Firmino and James Milner in 2023 – meaning sporting director Richard Hughes will assume overall responsibility for talks with the three key players. Slot confirmed, though, that he will play a part in discussions.

“It would be really weird [if not],” he said. “There’s no sporting director in the world, even if you have legally no input, that he would bring a player in or extend a player that you don’t want. You always talk about these things. The good thing about being a head coach is that you can always say if these things come up ‘Go to the sporting director!’”

Slot is unworried by the ongoing impasse. All three will be able in January to discuss free transfer moves to foreign clubs next summer but Slot said: “For me it is not difficult because I am always focussed on the short-term so only focussed on Chelsea [on Sunday] and the good thing is all these three players are available to me.

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“If after the last game of this season is played then it might bother to me think ‘are they here or not?’ But my main focus is now the short-term and I think in football it is mainly about the short-term, especially if you are a manager.”

Alexander-Arnold has attracted the interest of Real Madrid, where his close friend Jude Bellingham plays and whose need for a right-back is greater after Dani Carvajal suffered a season-ending cruciate ligament injury. The Spanish newspaper Marca has claimed Liverpool know he will not renew his contract and has played a part in Real’s attempts to lure past targets to the Bernabeu.

Slot is not worried the backdrop will affect Alexander-Arnold’s form. “I think you underestimate our players,” he said. “These players are used to being linked with all the top clubs on a daily basis, if they have contracts or not. If you think they’re disturbed by these interest, then I think you don’t do justice to how strong they are mentally and what they are used to. This is part of our job. I was at Feyenoord last year and they linked me with many clubs and before that and before that. This is part of this world we are living in.

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“You just focus on what you have to do. Maybe if you’re 17 or 18 years of age, that could be difficult for you. But Trent has won the league, has won the Champions League, Virgil and Mo the same. I don’t think that is a problem for them to perform. That’s also what we see at the moment because they’re playing really well, put it that way.”

Slot suggested he is keen to keep all three, saying: “It is a good thing that everyone wants their contract renewed but it means they do really well.”

Slot also said goalkeeper Alisson will be back before Christmas. The Brazilian is definitely out for several weeks with a hamstring problem.