Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold has not made a final decision on whether to commit his long-term future to the Premier League table-toppers by signing a new contract at Anfield and reports that he has already verbally agreed a move to La Liga heavyweights Real Madrid are wide of the mark at this stage, GIVEMESPORT understands.
Reds boss Arne Slot is prioritising rewarding key men with fresh terms and has not made any additions to his squad during the winter transfer window, despite Federico Chiesa being the only outfield acquisition in the summer thanks to completing a £12.5million switch from Juventus.
Having moved into pole position to be crowned champions, with there being a four-point buffer and having scored more goals than any of their domestic rivals, Liverpool are determined to ensure uncertainty over where Alexander-Arnold will be plying his trade in the coming months does not derail their season.
Although Spanish media reports have suggested that Alexander-Arnold heading to Real Madrid is a done deal after already giving assurances that he wants to embark on a fresh challenge at the Bernabeu, GMS has been informed those links are premature and he is still weighing up his options before making his final decision clear to Liverpool.
The right-back has entered the final six months of his current terms, which allow him to pocket £180,000-per-week on Merseyside, giving last season's Champions League winners and other overseas suitors a window of opportunity to attempt to tie him down to a pre-contract agreement ahead of joining as a free agent in the summer.
But GMS has been told that Liverpool have not been given confirmation that Alexander-Arnold wants to swap his boyhood club for Real Madrid, and he remains fully committed to the Reds for the remainder of the season at minimum as he goes in search of attempting to win the second Premier League title of his career.
Slot - who has described the England international as 'special' - is desperate to tie him down to an improved deal instead of allowing him to move onto pastures new in La Liga, and he has remained one of the first names on the team sheet despite speculation over whether he could walk away in the coming months.
Liverpool and Alexander-Arnold's camp have continuously refuted claims that he has decided to link-up with Real Madrid after Spanish media has been pushing the agenda for a prolonged period, GMS understands, and he has refrained from giving a definitive answer over whether he intends to leave due to concentrating on winning silverware.
GMS has been informed that Real Madrid remain confident of having Alexander-Arnold in their ranks ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, but Liverpool are still doing all they can to persuade him to snub the opportunity to head overseas as they are determined to see him put pen-to-paper.
The 26-year-old is not the only big-name the Reds are in danger of losing without securing a transfer fee as teammates Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have also entered the final six months of contracts worth a combined total of £570,000-per-week before bonuses are taken into consideration.
Liverpool have gone to the duo - along with Real Madrid target Alexander-Arnold - with offers of fresh terms, and GMS has been told they are waiting for each of them to give an answer as they look to build for the future and keep their key men on board for the long-term instead of facing a rebuild project in the summer.
GMS recently reported that the Merseyside giants have opted against heading to the negotiating table for Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo due to Slot being particularly keen to hand Salah a new contract instead of rushing into the market for a replacement ahead of the February 3 deadline.