Arne Slot insists nothing will change on New Year's Day for Liverpool - with that day marking the time key men Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold can legally talk to foreign clubs about a move next summer.
The trio are out of contract at the end of this season and the lack of progress has acted as a negative antidote to successes on the pitch this season. But Slot believes any negativity is restrained to outside and those at the club are just focused on achieving their goals this term.
Asked if anything will change on January 1, Slot said: ‘If we would then it's probably not the moment to tell you now. In general, I don't talk about contract situations here. It would be a surprise if I was the one to announce that one of them has extended!
‘Keep asking, that's your job but you're probably not going to get an answer from me. It's clear that from January 1, maybe for you guys (media), things change a lot but they are in constant talks with the club and let's wait and see what happens.
‘As long as they keep performing like this, the head coach is happy.'
Slot added that he does not feel extra pressure given the fact Liverpool are seven points clear atop the Premier League and said: ‘You're sitting in front of the Liverpool manager, so there is always pressure at this club.
Arne Slot says nothing will change on January 1 for Liverpool despite key men Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold being able to talk to foreign clubs about a move
The trio are all out of contract in the summer and are yet to pen fresh deals despite talks
Slot was also full of praise for van Dijk, Salah and Alexander-Arnold amid Liverpool's title push
‘If we are one, two, three, four or five in the table, if you work at a big club like Liverpool, there is always pressure. And I think last season they were also No 1 halfway through?
‘So it's not so strange for kingslot96 a club like us to be top of the league but we know how many good teams there are in this league and they are able to win almost every game as well. So there's no extra pressure, there is always pressure when you work at a club like Liverpool.'
Liverpool travel to West Ham on Sunday and will be without Dominik Szoboszlai, who is suspended after picking up five yellow cards this season. Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley remain out but the Reds are hoping they will be fit before too long.
On the injured pair, Slot said: ‘They will not be back for West Ham United. Then there is a week in between. Let's see how close they are then. It is difficult to tell you at this moment because they don't train with the group yet.
‘Hopefully, in the upcoming days they come closer to that situation. But then again, Ibou has been out for five or six weeks maybe, Conor just as long and they are in competition with players who are completely fit and doing really well so I have to make the right judgment.'
Liverpool are also still closely managing the fitness of striker Diogo Jota after he missed nearly two months with a chest injury. He is fit but Slot is keen to not rush him back with too much too soon.
Arne SlotTrent Alexander-ArnoldVirgil van Dijk
The trio are out of contract at the end of this season and the lack of progress has acted as a negative antidote to successes on the pitch this season. But Slot believes any negativity is restrained to outside and those at the club are just focused on achieving their goals this term.
Asked if anything will change on January 1, Slot said: ‘If we would then it's probably not the moment to tell you now. In general, I don't talk about contract situations here. It would be a surprise if I was the one to announce that one of them has extended!
‘Keep asking, that's your job but you're probably not going to get an answer from me. It's clear that from January 1, maybe for you guys (media), things change a lot but they are in constant talks with the club and let's wait and see what happens.
‘As long as they keep performing like this, the head coach is happy.'
Slot added that he does not feel extra pressure given the fact Liverpool are seven points clear atop the Premier League and said: ‘You're sitting in front of the Liverpool manager, so there is always pressure at this club.
Arne Slot says nothing will change on January 1 for Liverpool despite key men Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold being able to talk to foreign clubs about a move
The trio are all out of contract in the summer and are yet to pen fresh deals despite talks
Slot was also full of praise for van Dijk, Salah and Alexander-Arnold amid Liverpool's title push
‘If we are one, two, three, four or five in the table, if you work at a big club like Liverpool, there is always pressure. And I think last season they were also No 1 halfway through?
‘So it's not so strange for kingslot96 a club like us to be top of the league but we know how many good teams there are in this league and they are able to win almost every game as well. So there's no extra pressure, there is always pressure when you work at a club like Liverpool.'
Liverpool travel to West Ham on Sunday and will be without Dominik Szoboszlai, who is suspended after picking up five yellow cards this season. Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley remain out but the Reds are hoping they will be fit before too long.
On the injured pair, Slot said: ‘They will not be back for West Ham United. Then there is a week in between. Let's see how close they are then. It is difficult to tell you at this moment because they don't train with the group yet.
‘Hopefully, in the upcoming days they come closer to that situation. But then again, Ibou has been out for five or six weeks maybe, Conor just as long and they are in competition with players who are completely fit and doing really well so I have to make the right judgment.'
Liverpool are also still closely managing the fitness of striker Diogo Jota after he missed nearly two months with a chest injury. He is fit but Slot is keen to not rush him back with too much too soon.
Arne SlotTrent Alexander-ArnoldVirgil van Dijk
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