Arne Slot told to sell 'bang ordinary' Liverpool star

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Arne Slot has been urged to sell a ‘bang ordinary’ Liverpool player despite the club’s attempts to secure the Premier League title.

The Reds have pulled six points clear at the top of the table as they look to lift their 20th league title and match arch-rivals Manchester United’s tally.

Just one defeat in the first-half of the season has put Liverpool on course for the Premier League title under a manager who replaced the much-loved Jurgen Klopp last summer.

Slot will not want to weaken his squad during the January transfer window as he looks to maintain pushes both domestically and in Europe, where Liverpool currently top the revamped Champions League group phase.

But sports broadcaster and former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys believes Liverpool should sell ‘bang ordinary’ Trent Alexander-Arnold amid intense speculation he is set to join Real Madrid in the summer.

The La Liga giants have made Alexander-Arnold one of their top transfer targets and the 26-year-old England star is believed to be open to a move to the Bernabeu.

Liverpool rejected a £20m bid from Real Madrid over the weekend but Keys believes the Anfield club should reconsider given he the player will likely leave on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Writing in his blog following Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United on Sunday, Keys said: ‘As for Trent, there’s not a lot more to say is there?

‘His performance proved that Liverpool should take Madrid's £20m and settle the on-off transfer saga surrounding him. Clearly he's leaving – so bring the issue to a head.

‘Never mind all the sentimental mis-guided nonsense being spouted by Liverpool pundits who should know better – get the deal done.

‘Believe me – Liverpool's season is not going to hinge on whether a bang ordinary “defender” stays or goes.

‘I'm not saying he isn't a good player – I just think his skill set is better suited to Madrid. Defending is not his strength. And the debate is a distraction.’

Real Madrid target Alexander-Arnold, who has been at Liverpool since the age of six, endured a torrid afternoon in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United.

It was suggested by Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher that Alexander-Arnold was distracted by recent transfer speculation but both manager Slot and star defender Virgil van Dijk insisted this was not the case.

Asked if the speculation had affected Alexander-Arnold’s performance, Van Dijk – who is also coming to the end of his contract – said: ‘No. I am fine with it.

‘Trent has his own people around him, his family and we are there as well. He wants to perform in the best way possible like we all do. That is the main focus.’

Slot, meanwhile, added: ‘I think nine out of 10 people will tell you it [speculation] affected him, but I am one of the 10 that tells you I don’t think that affected him.

‘What affected him was that he had to play Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot, who are two starters for Portugal.

‘That is more difficult for Trent to play against Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot than the rumours there were during the week.

‘That’s my opinion, and probably everybody will tell you it had to do with the rumours. My opinion is different.’

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