Liverpool affirm Van Dijk as new captain as Alexander-Arnold steps up
The Dutchman has been handed the armband after Henderson’s switch to Al-Ettifaq, the place he will probably be managed by Steven Gerrard on the Saudi Arabian membership.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has been named as Liverpool’s new vice-captain, stepping as much as exchange James Milner after the versatile 37-year-old left the membership on the finish of his contract to affix Brighton.
What was a six-man management group at Liverpool has been lower to 4 after Milner and Henderson’s exits, with Andy Robertson and Alisson Becker the opposite two remaining gamers nonetheless on the membership.
Van Dijk has been at Liverpool since January 2018 and has already worn the armband throughout his time at Anfield, however that position is now a everlasting one and the centre-back has spoken of his delight at being given the duty.
“A really proud day for me, for my wife, for my kids, my family,” Van Dijk instructed Liverpool’s official web site. “It’s been a special feeling and I can’t really describe it at this point. But it’s something that I’m really, really proud of.
“Obviously I’m captain of Holland, that was already such a huge honour, a proud moment as well. But also to be the captain of Liverpool Football Club is something that I can’t describe at this point.
“It’s just 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.”
The Dutchman will lead Liverpool within the Europa League this marketing campaign, after a late cost on the finish of final season was not sufficient to safe Champions League soccer, and Van Dijk is eager to make sure there’s a swift return to the highest desk each domestically and in Europe.
“You reflect on the season you’ve had, personally and as a team, and it hurts,” he stated.
“It hurts a lot. You have pride as a human being and you feel like you could have done a lot better, you could have done a lot more consistently.
“I think that was a big thing that was missing: the consistent level that we showed over the last couple of years was missing. And obviously everyone wants to make this right.”