Liverpool have confirmed Virgil van Dijk as the club’s new captain following Jordan Henderson’s departure.
The Dutchman has been handed the armband after Henderson’s transfer to Al-Ettifaq, where he will be managed by Steven Gerrard at the Saudi Arabian club.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has been named as Liverpool’s new vice-captain, stepping up to replace James Milner after the versatile 37-year-old left the club at the end of his contract to join Brighton.
What was a six-man leadership group at Liverpool has been cut to four after Milner and Henderson’s exits, with Andy Robertson and Alisson Becker the other two remaining players still at the club.
Van Dijk has been at Liverpool since January 2018 and has already worn the armband during his time at Anfield, but that role is now a permanent one and the centre-back has spoken of his pride at being given the responsibility.
“A really proud day for me, for my wife, for my kids, my family,” Van Dijk told Liverpool’s official website. “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 in the Europa League this campaign, after a late charge at the end of last season was not enough to secure Champions League football, and Van Dijk is keen to ensure there is a swift return to the top table both domestically and in Europe.
“You reflect on the season you’ve had, personally and as a team, and it hurts,” he said.
“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.”
