Virgil van Dijk is CONFIRMED as new Liverpool captain and Jurgen Klopp appoints Trent Alexander-Arnold as vice-captain
Virgil van Dijk is CONFIRMED as the new Liverpool captain and Jurgen Klopp appoints Trent Alexander-Arnold as vice-captain
- Virgil van Dijk has been confirmed as the new captain of the Liverpool first team
- The Dutch central defender takes over the armband from Jordan Henderson
- England international Trent Alexander-Arnold has been appointed vice-captain
Virgil van Dijk has been named the new Liverpool captain and Trent Alexander-Arnold has been named vice-captain, while Jurgen Klopp has appointed his successor to Jordan Henderson.
The Dutch defender was expected to fill the void left by Henderson, who conceded the armband by choosing to join Saudi side Al-Ettifaq after being lured to the Middle East and putting pen to paper put in for a whopping £700,000 per week deal.
Van Dijk joined from Southampton in 2018 and has become one of the club’s best players during a Purple success that saw the club win their first Premier League title and sixth Champions League trophy.
He will take over the captain’s armband, becoming the first Reds defender to lead the team since Sami Hyypia left the captain’s armband in 2003.
After being named captain, Van Dijk told Liverpoolfc.com in Singapore: “(It’s) a very proud day for me, for my wife, for my children, my family. It was a special feeling and I can’t really describe it at the moment.
Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk has been named Liverpool’s new captain ahead of the imminent start of the new season
Van Dijk explained that it was a “huge honour” to be given the captain’s role at Liverpool
“But it’s something I’m very proud of. ‘Of course I am captain of the Netherlands, that was such a great honor, also a proud moment. But also being captain of Liverpool Football Club is something I can’t describe at the moment.
“It’s just something I’m very proud of and I will do everything I can to make everyone proud and happy with me and the football club.”
Van Dijk has captained the Netherlands since being named captain of the national team ahead of the 2022 World Cup and has clearly impressed Klopp enough to appoint him as Liverpool’s latest chief.
The 32-year-old has been an integral part of the club’s success in recent years, but has struggled with significant injuries at various times in recent seasons.
He missed 41 days last season with a hamstring injury and previously missed almost the entire 2020/21 season after undergoing surgery for a cruciate ligament injury.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has been appointed vice-captain for the upcoming season
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (left) named Van Dijk (right) as his successor to former skipper Jordan Henderson
Should he be unavailable for games next season, the captain’s duties will fall to Alexander-Arnold, who will support as vice-captain.
The England international was born in the city and has also been vital to Liverpool’s trophy chase under Klopp.
A disappointing campaign last season saw his position in the Liverpool set-up called into question as the Reds struggled to find consistency and eventually finished outside the Champions League places.
Alexander-Arnold bounced back with a late wave of strong performances in midfield and is expected to be a regular in Klopp’s starting side again next season.