عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

Alexander-Arnold’s Possible Move to Madrid ‘Doesn’t Affect Me at All,’ Says Liverpool Manager Slot

Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Newcastle United - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - January 1, 2024 Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold applauds fans. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Newcastle United - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - January 1, 2024 Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold applauds fans. (Reuters)
TT
20
TT

Alexander-Arnold’s Possible Move to Madrid ‘Doesn’t Affect Me at All,’ Says Liverpool Manager Slot

Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Newcastle United - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - January 1, 2024 Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold applauds fans. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Newcastle United - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - January 1, 2024 Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold applauds fans. (Reuters)

Liverpool's bid to clinch a record-tying Premier League title hasn't been affected by persistent reports linking Trent Alexander-Arnold with a move to Real Madrid at the end of the season, manager Arne Slot said Tuesday.

Sections of the British media reported during the international break that Madrid is in discussions about finalizing a deal to bring in Alexander-Arnold, who is in the last year of his contract at Liverpool and would be available on a free transfer. Neither club has publicly commented on a potential deal.

Slot said his club has lived the entire season with speculation about Alexander-Arnold as well as both Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, who are also out of contract at the end of the season.

“It's a situation that is there for eight or nine months now,” Slot said, “and I think all these three players have performed so well under these circumstances, so it doesn't affect me at all.”

Slot said there would not have been so much talk about Alexander-Arnold in recent weeks had he been fit and played for England in World Cup qualifiers. Instead, he is recovering from hurting his ankle when Liverpool was eliminated from the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain on March 11.

That means Alexander-Arnold will miss the Premier League game against local rival Everton on Wednesday. Ahead of the midweek round, Liverpool leads by 12 points over second-place Arsenal with nine games remaining as the clubs looks to a seal a 20th English league title, tying the record with Manchester United.

“He is injured,” Slot said of Alexander-Arnold, "and that means for him he is fully focused on his recovery and for us it means we are trying to help him to be back as soon as he can. For the rest, for the last eight months, it went up and down maybe with all the talks about him, Virgil or Mo, but we have never been focused on those talks.

“We have been focused on what we have to do. For Virgil and Mo, that is trying to win the Merseyside derby and for Trent it is making sure he is fit as soon as he can (be).”

The 26-year-old Alexander-Arnold has played his entire career at Liverpool and won every major honor with the Merseyside club, including the Premier League and Champions League.

Most Viewed

 
Sports

Tottenham Appoint Brentford's Frank as Manager

FILE - Brentford's head coach Thomas Frank smiles ahead the English Premier League soccer match between Brentford and Leicester City at Brentford Community Stadium in Brentford, West London, Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Ian Walton, File)
FILE - Brentford's head coach Thomas Frank smiles ahead the English Premier League soccer match between Brentford and Leicester City at Brentford Community Stadium in Brentford, West London, Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Ian Walton, File)
TT
20
TT

Tottenham Appoint Brentford's Frank as Manager

FILE - Brentford's head coach Thomas Frank smiles ahead the English Premier League soccer match between Brentford and Leicester City at Brentford Community Stadium in Brentford, West London, Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Ian Walton, File)
FILE - Brentford's head coach Thomas Frank smiles ahead the English Premier League soccer match between Brentford and Leicester City at Brentford Community Stadium in Brentford, West London, Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Ian Walton, File)

Tottenham Hotspur named Thomas Frank as their fifth full-time manager in six years on Thursday with the Premier League club confirming they had hired the former Brentford boss on a three-year contract to replace the sacked Ange Postecoglou.

The 51-year-old Dane, who has been in charge of Brentford since 2018 and established them in the top flight, will take charge of a club that will take part in next year's Champions League after they won the Europa League last month in Bilbao.

"In Thomas we are appointing one of the most progressive and innovative head coaches within the game," Reuters quoted a club statement as saying.

"He has a proven track record in player and squad development and we look forward to him leading the team as we prepare for the season ahead."

Australian Postecoglou's achievement in delivering Spurs' first trophy for 17 years was overshadowed by a woeful Premier League season which saw them finish 17th with 22 defeats, their worst campaign since the club were relegated in 1977.

Frank began his coaching career with Denmark's under-age sides before taking charge at Brondby in 2013, leaving in March 2016 and in December that year joined Brentford as assistant to Dean Smith in the Championship (second tier).

In October 2018, after the dismissal of Smith, Frank was appointed Bees manager.
"From the moment he replaced Dean Smith, he understood what we were trying to build and his wisdom, coaching ability and emotional intelligence have helped transform the club," Brentford Director of Football Phil Giles said.

"We will never forget Thomas, but now it is time to thank him and take the next steps in our journey with a new leader who we believe can be just as successful and influential."

Frank has been impressive during his time at Brentford -- creating a high-scoring side who have punched above their weight since reaching the Premier League in 2021 via the playoffs.

In their four Premier League seasons under Frank, Brentford have finished 13th, 9th, 16th and 10th and last term only four teams scored more than their 66 goals.

A keen user of player data, Frank and his backroom staff have proved especially adept at unearthing gems and selling those players on for huge profits, such as forwards Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney and Said Benrahma plus goalkeeper David Raya.

Despite the outgoings, Brentford have managed to remain competitive in the top flight under Frank and last season were in the mix for European qualification.

Forwards Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa scored 39 Premier League goals between them last season and both could well be Tottenham targets during the close season.

Frank has gained a reputation for his attention to detail and it is no surprise that his Brentford side scored inside 40 seconds in three successive league games last season.

"We have a kick-off strategy and we tweak it from game-to-game. And as a mindset and philosophy, we like to get straight on the front foot and be positive," Frank said at the time.

He now faces a completely different challenge at Tottenham and a fast start to his reign will be important to win over fans who felt Postecoglou should have been rewarded for winning a trophy by being given another season at the helm.

Brentford assistant first-team coach Justin Cochrane, head of athletic performance Chris Haslam and first-team analyst Joe Newton are also joining Frank at Spurs, along with Andreas Georgson from Manchester United.