Arne Slot, the head coach of Liverpool, commented on the future of English full-back Alexander Arnold, confirming that his next destination has become known to everyone, amid reports linking him to a free transfer to Real Madrid this summer.

Slot said in statements during the press conference before the match against Arsenal in the Premier League: "Do I know where Arnold is heading? Nothing has been officially announced except for his departure, but he has not stated his next destination."

He added: "It is impossible to comment on his participation in the Club World Cup with his new team, but as you can see from my smile, we all know where he is going."

Regarding his departure, Slot said: "We feel disappointed that a player of Arnold's quality is leaving. I have previously worked at clubs like Alkmaar and Feyenoord, and I am used to losing good players; in the end, we believe that another good player will emerge as it has always happened."

He continued: "It is not my role to direct the fans on how to deal with this matter; the players had a few days off, and I will wait to see how Arnold feels after returning. I spoke to him via WhatsApp, but let’s wait and see what happens."

He added: "Arnold said he doesn't want to distract attention with this announcement, so we hope all the energy remains focused on supporting the players and the fans, which is the least Trent deserves."

On the current state of the team, he stated: "Jurgen Klopp left the team in an excellent position, with high quality in the squad, and if you have a good team, you just need to work with them and bring out the best in them."

Regarding the increase in free transfers in football recently, Slot concluded his remarks by saying: "It cannot be denied that free transfers have become more common, but there are still also deals with huge numbers; perhaps this is a new trend, but it is too early to say for sure."