A player determined to prove a point has opened up on his love for Liverpool, while a disappointing star’s adjustment period has been discussed
Arne Slot’s Liverpool got back to winning ways at the weekend
Liverpool got back to winning ways with a 2-0 win away at West Ham as manager Arne Slot relieved some of the pressure on his position at Anfield.
The Premier League champions had been on a wretched run and remain slumped eighth in the table but a first league goal from £125m summer signing Alexander Isak, followed up by a late strike from Cody Gakpo, secured all three points against the relegation battlers.
Slot – who made a huge call to bench talisman Mohamed Salah in the victory – now turns his attention to Sunderland, who visit Merseyside on Wednesday night. But in the meantime there’s updates on two Liverpool stars who exited in the summer, but one who is eager for a return. Here’s all the latest news from Anfield.
Tsimikas insists “next year is a different story”
Kostas Tsimikas has enjoyed a bright start to life with his new club Roma(Image: Fabio Rossi, AS Roma via Getty Images)
Less than six months after departing Liverpool on loan when Slot decided he was no longer needed, Tsimikas has spoken about his deep affection for his adopted city, reports the Mirror.
The Premier League winner signed for the Reds from Olympiakos in the summer of 2020 and has been part of some truly memorable moments in Liverpool’s history, including scoring the winning penalty in the 2022 FA Cup final.
Tsimikas has featured in 10 matches across all competitions for Roma this season, but it’s still unclear whether his loan spell will be extended. Regardless, it seems the defender would jump at the chance to continue his journey at Anfield if given the opportunity.
“I miss the city. I lived there for five years. I love everything in Liverpool. They have a special part of my heart,” he recently told The Athletic. “The people are very kind, some of the kindest I’ve ever met in football.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot acknowledges the away fans at West Ham(Image: 2025 Getty Images)
“They’d always try to support the team, in good, in bad, they would always do their best to try to help you. I want everything for this club, because from day one, I was fully committed there. I was the Greek Scouser, and I always will be, I’ll keep it for my whole life.”
When quizzed about his ambitions to secure a spot back in the Liverpool squad, Tsimikas responded: “You never know. The most important thing for me is to be healthy, to train hard, to play more games. Next year is a different story for me. I want to be successful, I want to win things. Only God knows what will happen in the next year.”
He might just secure his opportunity given the early difficulties Milos Kerkez has faced since arriving under Arne Slot this season. And with Andy Robertson approaching his 32nd birthday in March, there could well be appetite to introduce a fresh (or familiar) option into the left-back rotation.
Alonso backs Alexander-Arnold
Xabi Alonso has backed misfiring Trent Alexander-Arnold(Image: Megan Briggs, Getty Images)
Meanwhile in Spain, another ex-Liverpool defender isn’t enjoying the triumph he anticipated following his summer switch.
Alexander-Arnold’s Real Madrid spell has been hampered by a hamstring setback and struggles to settle as expected – but Alonso remains optimistic for now.
Despite whispers that Alonso is losing the support of some Real Madrid players due to their recent slump, he remains committed to the player who walked out on his hometown club in the summer.
Alonso, who became a fan favourite in Madrid after his own transfer from Liverpool in 2009, refuses to place those same expectations on Alexander-Arnold.
“Trent is a top player, and we need him,” he told journalists ahead of Sunday’s match against Girona. “It’s his first year, and this adjustment period is normal. He’s also demanding of himself, and we have to support him through this significant change.”
Since his controversial £10million move to Madrid last summer, Alexander-Arnold has only started five games for Real. However, now that his hamstring issue is resolved, he hopes to establish some consistency.
The absence of captain and Spanish international Dani Carvajal from Alonso’s team selection due to injury hasn’t helped matters. Nonetheless, this could be the opportunity Alexander-Arnold needs to spark a turnaround for Real Madrid as they approach the midpoint of the season.
