The Reds head coach attended a press conference ahead of his side’s Premier League meeting with Arsenal at Anfield this weekend.
Slot offered his reaction to Alexander-Arnold’s decision and also discussed his right-back options going forward.
Read on for a summary of the briefing…
On Alexander-Arnold announcing his decision…
I think, like everybody who likes Liverpool and who is a fan of Liverpool, we are disappointed for him leaving because not only [is] a good human being leaving the club but a very, very, very good full-back is leaving us as well. I also worked at clubs, like AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord, where every season a very good or multiple very good players have left the club. So, I’m a bit more used to it maybe that players [are] leaving the club. The experience I have – and, by the way, this club as well – [is] that if a very good player is leaving, the next very good player will step up, and that’s probably what’s going to happen now again as well.
On how highly he rates Conor Bradley…
Yeah, let’s not compare him with Trent. Now already they are also two different types, in my opinion. With Conor, I think we all see the potential. But last week I walked onto the pitch together with him and I looked around because for me it was the first time [at Stamford Bridge] and I was very surprised to hear from him that he had a comment about the stadium as well. I looked at him like, ‘Didn’t you know yet?’ And he said, ‘No, it’s the first time that I’m here as well.’ That was a bit of a surprise to me because, for me, he’s already further in his development than being for the first time in an away game like Chelsea.
Very talented player, Conor. Unfortunately, [he] hasn’t been fit throughout the whole season and to become a very good player you have to be available every single week as well, and that’s the first step he has to make for next season. But we have a lot of confidence in Conor as a very good full-back for Liverpool, and that’s already what he’s shown, I think, in the past two seasons.
