Arne Slot all but confirms Liverpool’s first summer transfer

Arne Slot has pretty much confirmed one summer transfer involving Liverpool.

This is going to be a busy period for the Reds with plenty of potential incomings and outgoings as well. It feels like the true beginning of the Richard Hughes and Slot era after a relatively quiet period last summer.

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That was needed in order to really assess the club's current squad.

Everyone was given an equal chance to prove themselves to Slot, and it has culminated in a special season with the Reds winning the Premier League.

But there is still more to come. This team is not perfect. Liverpool definitely need a no.9 and potentially more defensive reinforcements as well.

Most notably at right-back where Trent Alexander-Arnold has confirmed he will be leaving the club at the end of his contract.

One thing that is yet to be confirmed is where he will be making a free transfer to.

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But speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Arsenal, Slot pretty much confirmed Alexander-Arnold's next destination, while also refusing to rule out the Reds striking a transfer agreement with Real Madrid.

One of the opening question posed to Slot by a journalist in the press conference was whether Liverpool would be willing to negotiate with the Spanish side in order to release Alexander-Arnold from his contract early.

At this moment in time, Alexander-Arnold's deal with Liverpool expires in June 30th. The Club World Cup begins on June 14th and FIFA has introduced a special transfer window starting on June 1st in order for clubs to sign players before the tournament.

It would be an unprecedented transfer deal, with there being no equivalent happening in the past but it's understood Real Madrid are keen to strike a deal with Liverpool in order to allow Alexander-Arnold to join up with the Spanish side but Slot remained coy about the possibility in his press conference while also all but confirming the worst kept secret in football - in that Alexander-Arnold is definitely heading to Real Madrid.

"Do you know where he is going yet?" Slot posed the question to the journalist who asked whether Liverpool had considered the possibility of releasing Alexander-Arnold from his contract in order to compete at the tournament in North America.

The journalist replied that they understand that it will be Real Madrid to which Slot smiled and said the following:

"Okay, okay. He hasn't said anything about it himself. The only thing he said is that he's going to leave the club so for me it's impossible to comment on where he is going and if that is a club that is going to play in the Club World Cup.

"You see on my smile that we both know where he is going to but it hasn't been said yet so that's impossible for me to comment on."

Based on those words, reading between the lines it's pretty clear Slot believes Alexander-Arnold will be joining Real Madrid.

The fact that he didn't rule out the Reds striking a transfer agreement with Madrid is also interesting.

If the latter was not a possibility or under consideration by the club, Slot would have said so outright. He's never been afraid to be blunt with the media.

But he's tipped toed around the question without answering it, which suggests it's something the club has not ruled out.

Perhaps the delay in Real Madrid announcing Alexander-Arnold's arrival could be because of those negotiations.

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Let's be honest it would be an unprecedented deal but if Liverpool can strike an agreement that ensures Alexander-Arnold is their first transfer deal of the summer and gives them a little bit of compensation - it's a victory for the Reds.