After Van Dijk: Discussing Liverpool’s Armband Hopefuls | OneFootball

Who May Replace Virgil Van Dijk and Inherit the Reds Armband – Potential Successors

Although Virgil Van Dijk’s contract in Liverpool expires in 2027, the question of who will be the next to take the armband may already be open. With vice-captain Robertson expected to depart this summer, the possibility is certainly there. The uncertainty around Anry’s role at the club has only increased the media interest and pushed the press ask Virgil about the prospects directly. The Dutch centre-back player endorses Dominik Szoboszlai, but who else could be a decent heir? Let’s discuss a few athletes.

Dominik Szoboszlai

A 25-year-old midfielder seems the most obvious player to replace Van Dijk when the time comes, maybe even next summer. Dominik’s perseverance last year helped the Reds reach the 20th Premier League title. The footballer 36 had appearances (first-team squad), during which he scored 6 goals and provided 6 assists. 

Szoboszlai boasts impressive passing accuracy (this season, it’s slightly over 87%) and an average of 2.1 shots per game. Watching his accurate long passes is pure excitement. Dominik’s mastery allows him to take corners that would have gone to Trent Alexander-Arnold in previous years. He can even handle free kicks that Mohamed Salah used to get. 

The guy is regularly the first to arrive at training, and if we look at the Metseyside club’s physical stats, he’s high up. Particularly in terms of running. Teammates describe him as a highly competitive footballer, with a clear desire to excel. 

The footballer, aged 23, the youngest in the history of the tournament, led the Hungary national team during the 2024 European Championship – he knows what it’s like to be at the helm. Szoboszlai understands all the hard kitchen like no other. How to manage a dressing room so that it is great togetherness, not deep division. How to mediate between the coach and the team. How to cope under intense media pressure. With this background, VVD’s back and Arne Slot’s praises, Dominik Szoboszlai has all the chances of becoming Liverpool’s future skipper.

Alexis Mac Allister

Born in Argentina, 27-year-old Alexis has been playing in a midfield position in Liverpool since 2023 (signed from Brighton). He joined the team as an iconic personality – as a player in the Argentina national team, he won the 2022 World Cup. Now, Mac Allister is the intellectual and strategic core of Liverpool. The footballer’s performance during the 2024/25 Premier League was pivotal for the team’s success; one of the key drivers, along with Szoboszlai.

Strategic thinking, spatial awareness, and perfect positioning skills make him a decent successor to Red’s armband. These traits perfectly align with Slot’s coaching strategy. Alexis is often referred to as “quiet” and “down-to-earth”, and these traits aren’t an obstacle to getting the armband. Everything is quite the opposite. His 2022 World Cup win with the Argentine team has taught him to live up to fans’ and the coaching staff’s expectations. Loud talking isn’t necessary for him to motivate others. 

The midfielder’s contract at Liverpool expires in 2028, but he is entirely committed to the club, Mac Allister’s father reported after a surprise approach from Manchester United last week. The reason Man Utd is interested in signing the World Cup-winner is clear: Liverpool is going through a difficult campaign. Currently sits 6th in the PL standings – a stressful period for fans. No wonder they are seeking reassurance and a bit of entertainment in poker apps reviewed by Cardmates and similar portals. 

Curtis Jones

Jones journey to getting into Liverpool started at the age of 9 when he joined the Liverpool Academy. Now he is 25 and plays as a midfielder for the team. Curtis dedication to the Liverpool club is out of the question. What makes him a candidate to get the armband? His previous experience was as the Merseyside club’s captain. Curtis was only 19 when he led the Reds’ youngest-ever starting line-up in the FA Cup 2020 (Liverpool vs Shrewsbury). Next time he took captaincy was during the 3-1 Carabao Cup win over Leicester in 2023.

Jones repeatedly said he wants to take captaincy one day and devote his life to the team, which shows his willingness to assume responsibility. Curtis may be too young, as he turned 25 just last month, but being handed the captain’s armband shows his leadership qualities didn’t go unnoticed.

Although the footballer is probably the most skilful midfielder the Liverpool academy produced in the last two decades, he is getting fewer starts. He was on the bench during the last six matches. This is perhaps due to Arne Slot’s preference for midfielders who can contribute to the scoresheet. The coach has repeatedly emphasised that, and it seems in his eyes that Alexis Mac Allister handles the role better, despite the Argentine’s struggles this season. Mac Allister is more involved in the final third compared to Jones. Recent on-field disagreement with Slot could be the reason for “playing” six games out of the XI.

Curtis’s future in the club is uncertain: his contract expires in 2027. There was a transfer approach from Inter in January, and the midfielder was open to the move, reportedly. It may be an early call that something goes wrong, and that the guy may not receive the renewal offer. 

What’s With Virgil Van Dijk?

Neither the team nor the player itself disclosed any plans or prospects. It’s unlikely that van Dijk will give up the Reds armband any time soon, at least until his contract ends next summer. We already know his potential successor: Dominik Szoboszlai’s name appears more and more frequently in talks and rumours about the VVD’s heir. But the landscape may change with time. As we see, the Liverpool family has some prospective captains to lead the team to new heights. We’ll see how it goes.