Arne Slot said he was disappointed with the news that Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to leave Liverpool but insisted the club will recover from the setback.
The Liverpool head coach was speaking on Friday – ahead of this weekend’s Premier League encounter against Arsenal – for the first time since Alexander-Arnold confirmed his decision to leave Liverpool.
The 26-year-old revealed on Monday that he will depart his boyhood club at the end of the campaign, news that has been expected for several months.
“I think, like everybody who likes Liverpool and is a fan of Liverpool, we are disappointed for him leaving because not only a good human leaving, but a very good full-back is leaving us as well,” said Slot.
“But I also worked at clubs like AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord where every season a very good player or multiple very good players have left the club, so I am maybe a bit more used to it.
“But the experience I have – and this club as well – is that if a very good player is leaving, the next very good player will step up, and that is probably what is going to happen now.”
Slot has answered questions on the defender’s future during the last few months, but for the first time addressed the situation speaking retrospectively.
He admitted everyone knows that where Alexander-Arnold will end up, although did not answer questions on whether Liverpool will allow the player to leave his contract early and play for Real Madrid in the Club World Cup in June.
Slot also confirmed he plans to start the “very talented” Conor Bradley at right-back on Sunday.
Should Alexander-Arnold play at Anfield, he could receive a negative reaction from Liverpool fans for the first time in his career. Asked about that, Slot said: “People have an opinion on us, that’s not new for anyone.
“It’s probably more negative now than he used to. But I am not following this and I am not here to tell the fans how to react.
“I will wait and see how Trent feels. The players had a few days off. I did speak to him on Whatsapp, but I am not here to tell the fans how to react.
“We are all disappointed, but Trent does not want us to be too distracted. I am hoping all the energy on Sunday goes to supporting our team.”
“This club has been my whole life – my whole world – for 20 years,” Alexander-Arnold said when the news was confirmed. “From the Academy right through until now, the support and love I have felt from everyone inside and outside of the club will stay with me forever. I will forever be in debt to you all.
“But, I have never known anything else and this decision is about experiencing a new challenge, taking myself out of my comfort zone and pushing myself both professionally and personally.”
