Liverpool are set to face a “culture shock” this summer as legends Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson end their nine-year stays. Virgil van Dijk calls for new leaders to emerge from the squad to avoid another difficult season.
Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson are leaving after nine years. Their goals and their standards made the club what it is today. Now, Virgil van Dijk is calling for his teammates to step up.
The captain says the leadership group is “falling apart” as players leave. He needs the squad to find its voice again to help the club climb back to the top.
The departure of Jordan Henderson in 2023 was the first major crack in the foundation, but the upcoming exits of Salah and Robertson represent a total structural shift. These aren’t just players who score goals or provide assists; they are the “standards-setters” who dictate the intensity of training and the discipline of the dressing room.
In an interview with The Times, he said, “The leadership boys are falling apart – in terms of players leaving – so players have to step up and see what the guys making the decisions are doing.”
At 34, Van Dijk understands that he cannot carry the weight of a rebuilding giant alone. While he successfully led the club to success and has maintained a high individual level, he is disgruntled by a season that has seen Liverpool fighting merely for Champions League qualification rather than the Premier League title.
Van Dijk needs teammates to help out
After Jordan Henderson left the club in 2023, the Dutch defender was named the club’s captain. People are still questioning his leadership abilities in comparison with the English midfielder, but he has led the club to much success.
This season has been tricky to navigate, and with several leaders in the club leaving, the 34-year-old has questioned his teammates but accepts they want just what he’s after, as they want to see the club climb back towards the top.
“I’m pretty sure everyone has the right intentions to make us, as a club, competitive and hopefully not have a season like we’re having this season again.”
He continued.
“Players have to step up. You grow into that (leadership) role, or you already have it in you.”
Van Dijk will finish the season before looking ahead to this summer’s World Cup in North America, where he is keen to see Arne Slot’s direction with the group.
“It will be an interesting development in terms of how the manager sees it as well, and then we have to tackle the season in the best way possible.”
Following Liam Rosenior’s side’s defeat to Brighton, two wins in their final five games should see Liverpool claim that last Champions League spot, but the 34-year-old is disgruntled over the season and needs to see more from everyone involved.
“It’s definitely not the standards that I expect and envision myself being a Liverpool player – just qualify for the Champions League.”
Current leaders in the squad
With the Arne Slot era on the horizon and a World Cup in North America looming this summer, the focus shifts to who within the current squad can actually lead.
The club faces a ticking clock on several fronts:
- Contract uncertainty: Both Van Dijk and Alisson Becker see their deals expire next summer, potentially signaling the final end of the “Klopp-era” backbone.
- The next generation: Players like Dominik Szoboszlai and Ibrahima Konate have been touted as the next leaders, as signs of progress in contract talks.
Van Dijk believes leadership isn’t just assigned; it’s earned. “You grow into that role, or you already have it in you,” he noted, suggesting that the upcoming pre-season will be a trial by fire for those looking to take the mantle.
The higher-ups need to make a statement this summer, whether that’s through contract extensions or introducing leaders, as leadership issues need addressing over the next few months.
The Egyptian and the Scotsman are already on their way out, but next summer will see Van Dijk’s and Alisson’s contracts come to an end, also signalling the end to the Klopp era, with the stars he had.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Ibrahima Konate seem like obvious candidates, but they are yet to sign deals despite recent signs of progress, and can they take the mantle of Liverpool captain in a few years’ time?
There has been a lack of responsibility in the team this year, which has led to this challenging period. Next season, someone has to be the man to step up to the mark and be relied upon in every single game.
Salah, Robertson and Van Dijk have carried standards for years. The question now is whether anyone in the Liverpool squad has the minerals to inherit them.
