Slot: What we have to do is make it as hard as possible for players to want to leave this football club

ARNE SLOT has vowed that Liverpool 'will generate new stars' in the wake of Trent Alexander-Arnold's end-of-season exit.

- By PAUL GORST

And Slot says the vice captain's departure will harden the resolve to make it as difficult as possible for more players to leave Anfield.

Alexander-Arnold, who informed Slot of his decision in March, publicly confirmed on Monday that he would be seeking pastures new when his contract expires on June 30.

Real Madrid are currently in talks with the Reds over releasing the defender from his terms earlier to enable him to play in the Club World Cup in the US next month.

Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk penned new two-year contracts last month before Alexander-Arnold's news became public and Ibrahima Konate is another whose contract situation is the subject of debate, with the France international heading into the final 12 months of his own deal.

A resolution does not appear imminent, but Slot says everyone at Liverpool needs to make it as tough as possible for players to want to leave Anfield, as he likened Alexander-Arnold's exit to when Kevin Keegan was replaced by Sir Kenny Dalglish in 1977. The Scot went on to become arguably the greatest player in the club's history.

"What we have to do as a football club is make it so hard for a player to want to leave and nine out of 10 players don't want to leave this football club," Slot said.

"The moment someone does decide to leave this football club it should be really hard for them to leave, and I think that's what Trent said.