It's official, Liverpool have just signed their next Jordan Henderson | OneFootball

Liverpool have signed their next Jordan Henderson, it's now official.

The former captain of the club was never really appreciated as much as he should have been during his time at Anfield. Sure, Henderson wasn't an icon, he wasn't a player who could even remotely live up to the performances Steven Gerrard delivered in the same role.

But there's no denying he was a great role model and someone who set the standard. He was also a player desperate to make it at Anfield.

At one point in his career, he had been written off. Liverpool were ready to discard him and offload him after he hadn't really fulfilled his promise.

But he refused to go and he stayed and worked hard enough to get himself back in contention. By the end of Brendan Rodgers' era he was one of Liverpool's better players and under Jurgen Klopp he became an extremely crucial cog in Liverpool's machine.

Without Henderson, there probably is no success at Anfield. Henderson's energy in midfield allowed the more technical players in the team to flourish.

He was the one who pressed and who made Klopp's gegenpressing system work effortlessly.

Of course, he did more than that.

Xabi Alonso has recognised this at Chelsea right in this very moment. As did Thomas Tuchel for England. Henderson is a great figure to have in the dressing room.

He is a vocal character who creates harmony. Like we said he sets the standards in training and he leads by example.

Having players like him who are also very vocal and loud on the pitch is an underrated part of the game. Football is a team sport at the end of the day - communication is vital on the pitch.

Henderson was constantly talking and he was known as the loudest voice at Anfield during his time at Liverpool.

Liverpool have since lacked that authority figure in midfield. Dominik Szoboszlai could soon be that, but he is still growing in stature and he doesn't have the authority that Henderson once had.

Virgil van Dijk is probably the most vocal player on the pitch, but even he doesn't compare to Henderson.

The good news is that Liverpool have just added a player who has the same trait as the now Chelsea midfielder and who could add more leadership to Andoni Iraola's group for the next season.

Much has been made about the signing of Ronald Araujo but while there are some concerns about his fitness and his recent form, people are overlooking the positive aspects of this deal.

Liverpool have lost a lot of leaders this summer. Mo Salah and Andy Robertson have departed for pastures new.

They need more authority figures and in Araujo they could find the perfect fit. After all, this is a player who has played over 200 games for Barcelona, he was their current club captain and he has that same trait that Henderson does.

Araujo sets the standards in training. He works tirelessly and is very good at providing energy. On the pitch, like Henderson he is known as a strong communicator.

“I like to talk on the pitch, I'm talking the whole game. It's a way of being more focused, and that I think helps me and also the team,” he said.

This is the kind of player Liverpool need right now. Araujo's move has now become official and in the process Liverpool will have secured their next Henderson.

The transfer is one to celebrate rather than to bemoan.