Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold Named Liverpool Captain and Vice-Captain

With long-serving vice-captain James Milner departing Liverpool for Brighton earlier in the summer and captain Jordan Henderson unexpectedly joining him when he had his head turned by a payday in the Saudi Pro League, the Reds were in need of new players to wear the armband heading into the 2023-24 season.

Today, they officially announced veteran centre half Virgil van Dijk as the club’s new captain and Liverpool-born academy product Trent Alexander-Arnold as the vice-captain. The duo had for many been strong favourites for the captain and vice-captain roles, with Mohamed Salah a darkhorse third contender possibly in the mix.

“It’s been a special feeling and I can’t really describe it at this point,” Van Dijk said of being named captain. “But it’s something that I’m really, really proud of. Obviously I’m captain of Holland, that was already such a huge honour, but also to be the captain of Liverpool Football Club is something that I can’t describe at this point.

“It’s something that makes me very proud and I will do everything in my power and what I can do to make everyone proud and happy with me and the football club. We know we lost players in this last period that were big, big figures in the dressing room. Others have to step up and take responsibility, including myself.”

With both a new captain and vice captain being named ahead of the 2023-24 season, it is perhaps noteworthy that Henderson and Milner were themselves named captain and vice-captain together in the summer of 2015 following the departure of Steven Gerrard and Milner’s arrival from Manchester City on a free transfer.