John Aldridge names next Liverpool captain after Virgil van Dijk - 'Makes sense'
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Liverpool FC NewsFeaturesLiverpool FCLiverpool legend John Aldridge has weighed in on who he thinks should be the next captain at Anfield, with Virgil van Dijk only under contract until the end of next seasonArne Slot during a Liverpool training session.(Image: Nikki Dyer - Liverpool FC via Getty Images)With Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson leaving Liverpool this summer — and continued interest from Juventus in signing Alisson Becker — the Reds will need new leaders to step up.Virgil van Dijk is under contract for another 12 months, but there is no guarantee that the Dutchman will stay beyond that point. Alisson, even if he stays this time around, is only tied down until the summer of 2027, too.That means that within the space of little more than a year, Liverpool could lose its entire existing leadership group, therefore needing to find others who can replace those bodies within the squad.READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news and rumors today LIVE: Wharton interest, Diomande latest, Senesi moveREAD MORE: Liverpool fixture moved again as Aston Villa keeps unlikely Champions League lifeline aliveAssuming that Ibrahima Konate pens a contract extension, he should be one tasked with doing more as he enters his peak years.
"I can see Dominik Szoboszlai as a future Liverpool captain," Aldridge said."He's had a very good season, amongst players who have struggled a lot. He's young, relatively young, and he's Hungary’s captain, so that makes sense."BRIGHTON, ENGLAND - MARCH 21: Dominik Szoboszlai, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate form the Liverpool defensive wall during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool at Amex Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Brighton, United Kingdom.
That is something that Van Dijk has spoken about recently."You have to ask the question to the guys higher up," Van Dijk told reporters when he was asked about what the plan might be to replace the likes of Salah and Robertson."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 going to do."But 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."Get LFC's 2025/26 season home and away kitsThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. It has lot of talented players, but needs some who are a little bit holder to help mesh everything together.Next year, unless others can step up, there will be a lot resting on the shoulders of Van Dijk in the absence of some major players who are currently around him to help carry the burden.Choose Liverpool.com as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.Liverpool FCVirgil Van DijkDominik Szoboszlai