Jurgen Klopp has apparent Jordan Henderson successor as Liverpool exit ‘superior’

Liverpool supervisor Jurgen Klopp has an apparent successor in Virgil van Dijk to show to if captain Jordan Henderson leaves the membership this summer season. There are contrasting reviews across the England midfielder with some options a transfer to Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia is ‘very advanced‘.

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has simply taken over on the Middle Eastern membership and reviews have claimed he would like to signal his former team-mate. But it’s unclear whether or not any transfer will occur, and significantly whether or not Jurgen Klopp can be prepared to half methods together with his skipper.

The Reds are rebuilding their midfield and have signed Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister already this summer season. They now have eight central midfielders on the books and it’s anticipated consequently that Henderson will not be a assured starter in high-profile fixtures which may tempt him to depart.

But the 33-year-old has been integral in Liverpool’s success underneath Klopp. He has been the membership’s captain since 2015 when the 33-year-old took the armband from Gerrard. He has gained each single trophy in that point and has made 268 appearances as skipper since.

And shedding him and Milner in the identical summer season would see the membership’s dressing room irrevocably modified. The pair’s presence has persistently been hailed, with Klopp saying of Henderson final yr: “He’s captain of my side because he was captain when I arrived here and I saw no need to change it – that’s maybe the biggest compliment.

“I clearly didn’t know Hendo after I arrived right here; I knew him as a participant however not as an individual. He brings every little thing it is advisable lead a soccer group.” Klopp even diminished Henderson to tears with a speech when the participant was named the FWA Footballer of the Year, by which he stated: “I do know the human being behind the participant, you’ll deserve an award for that as effectively.”

Replacing Henderson’s impression behind the scenes can be an enormous ask. But Liverpool could have an apparent subsequent captain on the membership in Virgil van Dijk, who skippers The Netherlands nationwide group and was voted into the Anfield management group by his team-mates 5 years in the past simply months after arriving.

Van Dijk was the third-choice final season after vice Milner and has already worn the armband 43 occasions – the third most of any participant post-Gerrard. He has been the Netherlands captain since March 2018 and led them out on the Qatar World Cup, the place they misplaced on penalties to eventual winners Argentina within the quarter-finals.

The Dutchman can also be one of many most-used gamers underneath Klopp. That will proceed subsequent season regardless of Van Dijk’s questionable kind in 2022-23. He stays integral to Liverpool’s group because the commanding marshal of the back-line and is underneath contract till the top of the 2024-25 marketing campaign.

Robertson, Alexander-Arnold and Alisson are different credible choices with all three within the membership’s management group. But ought to Henderson determine to give up Anfield to hyperlink up with Gerrard within the Saudi Pro League, Van Dijk would seem a simple decide to switch him because the chief of the dressing room.