Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson and Alisson have been added to Liverpool’s captaincy group, Jurgen Klopp has confirmed.
Jordan Henderson currently serves as Liverpool’s official captain, and James Milner and Virgil van Dijk were also included in the club’s leadership committee at the start of last season.
Georginio Wijnaldum had a spot in the group too as fourth in line for the armband, but he left Anfield at the end of his contract in June before joining Paris Saint-Germain, which promoted a dressing-room reshuffle.
What has been said?
Henderson, Milner and Van Dijk led the latest in-house vote for the captaincy group at Liverpool once again, but Klopp has also revealed that, instead of simply replacing Wijnaldum with a fourth member, he has increased the committee size to six.
Alexander-Arnold, Robertson and Alisson will now also take on leadership duties, as the Reds boss told a press conference on Monday: “We had the three who stayed, and then the players voted for another three. The three obviously were Hendo, Milly and Virg, and then the next most votes were for Trent, Robbo and Alisson Becker.
“We had a problem last year obviously from time to time, because we lost so many players that we had nobody on the players’ committee available anymore, so I thought it made sense to increase this group a little bit. That’s what we did.”
What’s next for Liverpool?
Klopp was speaking ahead of his side’s next Champions League outing away at Porto on Tuesday, when they will be aiming to follow up their Group B matchday one victory over AC Milan.
Henderson will almost certainly wear the captain’s armband again at Estadio Do Dragao, with Van Dijk likely to be his deputy if Milner is named on the bench for a second successive game.
Goal’s view
Liverpool correspondent Neil Jones said: “Perhaps the only surprise with this story is that the name Mo Salah will not feature in Liverpool’s new six-man ‘players’ committee’.
“After all, we all remember the furore last December when Salah told Spanish publication AS that he had been disappointed to have been overlooked for the captaincy for a Champions League game away at FC Midtjylland.
“Trent Alexander-Arnold wore the armband that night, and the 22-year-old is one of three players voted into the new, expanded leadership group by Jurgen Klopp’s squad. A proud moment for the Scouser, who has made no secret of his desire to one day captain the club for real.
“Andy Robertson’s presence, too, is understandable. The Scot is hugely popular, one of the biggest jokers in the dressing room and someone who sets a relentlessly high standard every day. The same goes for Alisson Becker, the third new member.
“Klopp, in particular, has a close relationship with the Brazilian. Interestingly, all three of those players signed new long-term contracts in the summer. Salah, of course, is yet to. Make of that what you will…”
