Liverpool manager Arne Slot has lavished praise on Trent Alexander-Arnold as the England international closes in on an injury comeback before his expected departure from the Premier League leaders.
Widespread reports have suggested Alexander-Arnold will end his 21-year association with Liverpool and join Real Madrid when his contract expires at the end of the season, but the 26-year-old could play for the first time since March 8 when the Reds visit second-bottom Leicester City on Sunday (16:30 BST).
“Every time he plays and trains with us, he shows his commitment,” said Slot, whose side will win the title with five games to spare if they win and Arsenal lose at Ipswich Town on the same day (14:00).
🗣️ “He’s worked so hard during the whole season”
Arne Slot comments on Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of Liverpool’s game with Leicester 🔴 pic.twitter.com/cIma6HujLD
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) April 18, 2025
“The moment he’s on the pitch, he shows me what a great football player he is. He’s worked so hard during the whole season – and now during his rehab – to be back with his team again.
“Everyone who’s watched football for the last five, six or seven years knows he’s an incredible full-back. He’s been an incredible full-back for this football club and let’s see what the future holds.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold Liverpool stats
Alexander-Arnold has started in 33 of the 38 matches he has been available for in this season’s Premier League and Champions League, helping Slot guide his new club to a near-perfect campaign in the top flight and the last 16 in Europe.
The wideman has contributed three goals and seven assists in all competitions but has missed Liverpool’s last three league games with an ankle injury.
It was always Liverpool ❤️ pic.twitter.com/uXtvDKN8CG
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 17, 2025
“If things go well, he might be on the bench,” Slot said of Alexander-Arnold’s fitness after the Liverpudlian rejoined training on Wednesday.
“He definitely won’t start but, hopefully, he will be able to join us, because he’s been out for a long time. It will be nice if Trent is with us.”
Virgil van Dijk: Gravenberch ‘great example’
Days after top scorer Mohamed Salah signed a new long-term contract at the club, captain Virgil van Dijk followed suit on Thursday to leave Alexander-Arnold as the only star player in the squad still to agree terms beyond this summer.
Slot said it was “difficult to describe” the centre-back’s influence on and off the pitch and cited the Netherlands international’s impact on young players such as Ryan Gravenberch, who has benefitted from Van Dijk’s experience during a season in which the midfielder has started every league game.
Made us jump, too! 😅 pic.twitter.com/aQdoVg7bHg
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 18, 2025
“I haven’t worked with a player like him, in terms of leadership and the energy he brings to the team in every training session and how professional he is,” Slot said of Van Dijk.
“Ryan is a great example – [Van Dijk’s] constantly on him, trying to make him even more of a professional than Ryan already is.”
Discussing the key elements of the 33-year-old maintaining his performance levels, Slot said the “first thing” he thought of was avoiding injuries.
“If any player at any age is out for two or three months, it’s quite hard for players to come back immediately to their old level,” Slot explained. “If he stays fit, I see no reason why he would regress.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold contract
Slot said there was no update on a potential extension of Alexander-Arnold’s deal and reiterated his satisfaction at Salah and Van Dijk staying in his squad.
“It tells you we want to keep our best players, who have been great for so many years now,” he added. “To be able to keep them when they are free agents tells you the ambition we have.
“It’s nice that we’ve done two announcements and we could talk about that for hours, but it’s the same [contract situation with] Trent.”
Leicester vs Liverpool
Liverpool are on course for one of the earliest title wins in history as part of a hugely impressive first season in English football for Slot.
They are 13 points above the Gunners with a significant goal superiority in pursuit of becoming champions for the first time since 2019/20.
Leicester last won a league game on January 26 and will suffer an immediate relegation if they do not beat the visitors.
