Liverpool have five clear options for their new vice-captain if Trent Alexander-Arnold leaves - opinion
01/01/2025 01:00 PM
Liverpool are going to have to make some big decisions about their squad during 2025.
With the New Year now upon us, the Reds are only months away from seeing three of their biggest players leave the club.
For weeks and weeks, the talk around Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold has become almost unbearable.
But while the feeling remains positive over Salah and Van Dijk, the mood is markedly different for Alexander-Arnold.
Liverpool have rejected an approach from Real Madrid to sign Alexander-Arnold in January, but it’s starting to feel inevitable that the Liverpool academy graduate is on the way to Spain.
If Van Dijk goes too, that will leave the Reds having to pick a new captain and vice-captain for the second time in two years. But assuming that Virgil – and Mo – stay put, we think Arne Slot already has five very good options for Liverpool’s second in command.
Mohamed Salah
This one obviously depends on Salah staying – which it should be said is not a given.
But Salah is certainly captain material for Liverpool. The Egyptian already skippers his country and has earned the respect of everyone at the club over the past eight years.
Forward players wearing the armband does not always work, but in the case of Salah, we can’t really think of anyone better for play number two Van Dijk.
READ MORE: How Trent Alexander-Arnold really feels about a mid-season Liverpool exit to join Real Madrid
Andy Robertson
Another player to captain his country, Andy Robertson would arguably have been a better choice than Alexander-Arnold to take the vice-captaincy in the first place.
Robertson wears his heart on his sleeve and having been around the Liverpool squad for almost a decade, is a popular figure within the dressing room.
There are perhaps two things working against the 30-year-old, however. Robertson has struggled this season and may no longer be an automatic pick after the summer. Robbo also has just 18 months remaining on his contract and Slot may prefer a longer-term choice.
Alisson Becker
The last member of Liverpool’s original leadership group is Alisson Becker. The goalkeeper is a senior voice in the dressing room who would be a brilliant vice-captain.
Although the arrival of Giorgi Mamardashvili may throw his starting spot into doubt, Alisson should still be the number one in 2025/26.
Able to see the whole pitch in front of him, having Alisson wear the armband would make a lot of sense.
Ibrahima Konate
The trouble with giving any of Salah, Robertson or Alisson the title of Liverpool vice-captain is that all three are already into their 30’s.
Slot may prefer to start to look ahead to the future with this decision and if he does, then Ibrahima Konate would be a wonderful choice.
Konate has worn the armband for France and has grown in stature as a leader over the years. Providing he too signs an extension to his deal which ends in 2026, Ibou could even one day succeed Van Dijk with the armband proper.
Alexis Mac Allister
Another younger option for Slot, Alexis Mac Allister has slowly become captain material at Liverpool.
Alisson hailed the leadership of Mac Allister earlier this season, confirming that the 26-year-old had been added to the wider group of figureheads within the squad.
Like Konate, Mac Allister could represent a future beyond the likes of Van Dijk, Salah, Robertson and Alisson.
In our opinion, while we still hope he signs on to stay at Liverpool, any of these five players would be a better choice for vice-captain than Alexander-Arnold.
