Liverpool’s manager, Arne Slot, has acknowledged the necessity of addressing the training standards of departing right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold this season.
Alexander-Arnold has been a crucial figure in Liverpool’s Premier League title victory, yet he is now preparing to say goodbye to the club he has supported since childhood.
His recent announcement regarding his decision to leave on a free transfer and finalize a move to Real Madrid, which has not yet been made public, has created a divide among fans, many of whom have expressed their discontent by booing the England international during matches following his announcement.
Reflecting on his brief time with Alexander-Arnold, a surprisingly candid Slot admitted that their relationship did not begin on the strongest footing during last summer’s pre-season, when he raised concerns about the right-back’s training performances.
“I believe Mo [Salah] has already mentioned a few reasons for his visit to my office during pre-season, and there were similar reasons for Trent’s visit at the start of the season,” the Liverpool manager stated.
“Perhaps he has already indicated his intention to leave, so why not be transparent? This could potentially be the first gift I offer [incoming Real Madrid manager] Xabi Alonso.
“I wasn’t completely happy with every single minute how he was on the training ground.
In my opinion in certain moments he could do a bit more, to say it mildly, and that’s what we talked about.
Combined with that I said to him, ‘You are a much better defender than everybody tells you.
Unfortunately you don’t show it all the time. That’s why people sometimes say you are not’.
“If he is just at it and focused and concentrated, there are not many players that can go around him, because he’s fast, he’s agile, he has a great mentality.
But it’s about showing that every single game, because in this world we are judged not only on the 34 games we do well, we are mainly judged on the four games we don’t do so well.
These things we spoke about in pre-season.
”As he prepares to say goodbye to Alexander-Arnold, Slot urged Liverpool fans to focus on the success they have enjoyed with the academy graduate and afford him a positive reception in Sunday’s visit from Crystal Palace in the last game of the season.
“I hope the same for every other player that contributed to us winning the league, that they will get the reception every player deserves,” the boss told BBC Sport.
“All have worked so hard, not only this season, but throughout their careers to achieve something like this.
They did this for themselves, but partly also driven by our fans.
“It would be fantastic, if it’s only going to be a positive moment for everyone at the club, and Trent is part of that. I hope I can influence them, but they have their own opinion as well.”