Virgil van Dijk named new Liverpool captain

Virgil van Dijk has been named as the new captain of Liverpool following the departure of Jordan Henderson.

Henderson has joined Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq after 12 years at Anfield, leaving the captain's armband in his wake.

The club have since confirmed that Van Dijk will take over as skipper, with 24-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold succeeding James Milner as vice.

Speaking for the first time as skipper, Van Dijk told Liverpool's website in Singapore: “[It’s] a really proud day for me, for my wife, for my kids, my family. It’s been a special feeling and I can’t really describe it at this point. But it’s something that I’m really, really proud of.

“Obviously I’m captain of Holland, that was already such a huge honour, a proud moment as well. But also to be the captain of Liverpool Football Club is something that I can’t describe at this point.

“It’s just something that makes me very proud and I will do everything in my power and what I can do to make everyone proud and happy with me and the football club.”

Van Dijk also discussed the pains of last season, revealing the team's desire to bounce back in the 3023/24 campaign.

“It has been a very disappointing year last year,” he added. “It was actually not a bad run-in. Obviously in the end we didn’t achieve anything we hoped to achieve and that was very disappointing.

“Then you’re going on a very short summer holiday and you reflect on the season you’ve had, personally and as a team, and it hurts. It hurts a lot. You have pride as a human being and you feel like you could have done a lot better, you could have done a lot more consistently."