Trent keeping his word but Liverpool fear could soon be realised

The clock continues to tick on Trent Alexander-Arnold's Liverpool contract which runs out next summer

Trent Alexander-Arnold keeping his word but Liverpool fear could soon be realised

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Arne Slot admits it's a topic of conversation that is in danger of making him look a bore. For Liverpool supporters, though, the longer the clock ticks, the greater the fear grows the long-established core of the squad may soon be ripped out.

So continues the speculation surrounding the three players - Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk - who are out of contract at the end of the current season.

As things stand, not only will the trio be free to walk away from the Reds for nothing next summer, they will also be able to open talks over a prospective move with overseas clubs from January onwards.

Small wonder, then, that rumour and conjecture over the future of the trio is increasingly beginning to dominate the news cycle regards Liverpool. Whenever one of the three produce anything of note, the question over where they will be next season is never too far from the conversation.

Given Salah and Van Dijk are both in their thirties and understandably now past their prime - even if their current contribution remains crucial for Liverpool - the main focus has surrounded Alexander-Arnold, particularly with rumoured interest from Real Madrid showing no signs of dissipating.

That rather ugly head reared itself again this week, with reports in Spain claiming the European Super League advocates had made contact with the player's entourage in an attempt to ascertain whether or not a move for the England international next summer is feasible.

With Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes working behind the scenes, it has been left to Slot to field the questions not only about Alexander-Arnold but his other two team-mates in the last 12 months of their current deals.

If a touch unfair on the Reds head coach, he will deem it as merely part of the job. Plus Slot himself will of course know a little more about the respective situations than he is willing to let on.

For their part, Alexander-Arnold and his representatives are refusing to become embroiled in the speculation, with the Liverpool defender at present determined to keep his focus on adapting to working under the new Reds boss which, when speaking after the recent win over Bournemouth, he indicated was much to his liking.

Attempting to read signs from post-match interviews can often be a futile and pointless exercise.

Nevertheless, the tone from Alexander-Arnold whenever facing the media so far this season has hardly been one of a player keen to depart his boyhood club. After all, only by remaining at Anfield beyond this season will he be able to realise his dream of stepping up from vice-captain to skipper.

The impressive start to the campaign for both club and country from the defender - who turns 26 on Monday - suggests he isn't being distracted by the off-field uncertainty.

But both Alexander-Arnold and Slot will know that the more boring the straight bat to contract questions becomes, the more frenzied the debate over the player's future will become. Less than 13 weeks until the New Year, that clock continues to tick.

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