Liverpool manager Arne Slot insists Trent Alexander-Arnold has not been distracted by reports of Real Madrid’s interest in his services.

The right-back is approaching the final six months of his contract and has been heavily courted by Madrid, while reports have also named Barcelona, Bayern Munich and even Manchester City as possible suitors.

It was even claimed in Spain that Madrid “know” Alexander-Arnold will not sign an extension in order to force his way out of Anfield on a free transfer.

Amid the ongoing uncertainty over Alexander-Arnold’s future, Slot revealed he has not seen a change in commitment from the right-back.

“I think you underestimate our players,” Slot stressed. “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 interests, 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. 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 [van Dijk] and Mo [Salah] 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 went on to confirm that he does have an input in Liverpool’s contract decisions, but declined to reveal any of his suggestions to club officials.

“I’ve always been a head coach and I’ve always been involved in contract situations like, ‘Who do you want to ­extend?'” Slot confirmed.

“It would be really weird [if I had no input]. There’s no sporting director in the world, even if you have legally no input, who 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!'”

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