Liverpool need players to step up to the plate and join their leadership group after Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson’s departure.
Virgil van Dijk is the club captain and has Alisson Becker to turn to as a senior player, but the Brazilian also only has a year left on his contract and isn’t a long-term leadership option.
Ibrahima Konate was expected to make the step up, but in a rather surprising turn of events, he left to join Real Madrid on a free transfer.
And now, Andoni Iraola has been speaking to the media and dropped a big hint on who could join Van Dijk in the leadership group
Dominik Szoboszlai could take Liverpool leadership role
Earlier this month, Dominik Szoboszlai put pen to paper on a new contract to keep him at the club until 2031.
The Hungarian midfielder was Liverpool’s standout player last season and almost single-handedly carried the Reds on his back under Arne Slot.
Ahead of Liverpool’s first pre-season outing in the USA, Iraola heaped praise on the midfielder and seemingly suggested that he could be named the club’s vice-captain.
“His new deal is the greatest news since I arrived, he has renewed and is in great shape, leading by example, training and pushing a lot.
“The young players should look at him a lot. We try to use him in the best way to feel comfortable to continue in the same way.”
“We will address it [later],” said Iraola when asked about vice-captaincy.
“I don’t have all the squad and not seen them face to face. I always say you don’t need an armband to be a leader, a captain. I find a lot of captains and leaders without armbands.
“You can lead a team or an important player not just because you have [an armband]. We need as many as we can [get]. In terms of the decisions we take, a lot of players [will be looked at].”
Szoboszlai is here for the long haul and it feels like a matter of time before he is added to Liverpool’s leadership group.
As senior players in the squad, the likes of Joe Gomez and Alisson will also be considered, while there is a case to be made for Alexis Mac Allister too.
