Dramatic Liverpool U-turn over born-again star in works as Slot ‘loses faith’ in summer signing

Liverpool are aiming to convince Andy Robertson to discuss terms over a new contract at Anfield, a transfer journalist has revealed, and in news that will potentially deliver a blow for the club which were exploring a move to sign the Scotland captain on a free transfer.

The 31-year-old is the third-longest serving player in the Reds squad behind Joe Gomez and Mo Salah, having first arrived at Anfield in a bargain £8m deal from Hull in July 2017. Now in his ninth season at the club, Liverpool brought in Milos Kerkez over the summer in £40m deal from Bournemouth, with the Hungarian seen as his long-term successor.

However, while the 22-year-old has started nine times in the Premier League since his summer arrival, Slot appears to have swayed back towards Robertson as Liverpool’s starting left-back in recent matches, with the experienced Reds vice-captain given the nod in their previous three games.

Now, according to pundit Chris Sutton, speaking on BBC Radio’s Monday Night Club, manager Arne Slot has seemingly now “lost faith” in Kerkez.

“Arne Slot hung his hat on Kerkez at the start of the season, Robertson was out in the cold, and, all of a sudden, I think he has lost faith in Kerkez,” Sutton said.

Sutton’s comments come off the back of claims made by transfer journalist, Graeme Bailey, who says the Reds are now ready to perform a U-turn on Robertson’s future and open talks over a contract extension at Anfield amid strong interest from Celtic

“Everyone is aware of Robertson’s ties with Celtic, but as it stands, I am told that the player firmly believes he still has a future at Liverpool,” Bailey told 67 Hail Hail.

“His deal at Anfield is due to expire, but I believe that as it stands they will be talking to him soon – probably heading into the New Year – about new terms. It won’t be long-term but, as he has proven so far this season, he is more than capable of playing at the top level.”

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Have Liverpool really lost faith in Kerkez?

Kerkez’s chance for Liverpool will come again, and it’s a drastic call to make to claim Slot has lost faith in the player. At just 22 and only a few months into his career at a new club, it was potentially always going to take him time to find his feet and adapt to not just his new surroundings, but also the added expectancy on his shoulders.

That will likely come with time, game-time and minutes – and over the course of the season, opportunities will come Kerkez’s way again.

Our transfer correspondent, Dean Jones, has also batted away suggestions that the Reds already regret his signing and are already scouring the market for would-be replacements.

“As far as I know, it is not the plan to go and sign another full-back despite the problems they have been having,” Jones told TEAMtalk.

“Kerkez is going to have to improve, though, and by the end of the year, they should have [right-back] Jeremie Frimpong back in action too.

“Liverpool made a statement in the summer window, and at the time, it was in mind with having a group of players that would go through the whole season.

“Obviously, this campaign has started in a more rocky manner than they would have expected, but signing more players is probably not going to be the solution to this.”

That said, Robertson has steadied the ship for Liverpool, defensively, since he’s come into the side. A natural leader and a trusted voice around Anfield, the 31-year-old might not be able to motor up and down the left flank with the same regularity that he used to, but he remains a calm and composed presence in their rearguard, with his return to the starting line-up only serving to remind Slot of that.

As a result, it would come as no surprise were the Reds to try and lock the player down for a further 12 months and put his Celtic return dream on ice for now.

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Latest Liverpool news: Shock Konate twist; Romano on Slot sack

Meanwhile, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the French media and TEAMtalk sources are all providing an entirely different take to that portrayed in the Spanish media on the situation around Ibrahima Konate amid strong Real Madrid interest in the Liverpool defender.

On the subject of Romano, the reporter has revealed Fenway Sports Group’s (FSG) true thoughts on Slot following the defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday that leaves the reigning champions eights point off the pace in the Premier League title race.

On the incoming front, Liverpool have reportedly identified a new long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah – he plays in the Premier League and has already worked under Slot.