ReactionVirgil van Dijk: Vice-captaincy can take Trent to another level

It has been announced that Van Dijk is succeeding Jordan Henderson as the Reds’ skipper and Alexander-Arnold will be his deputy.

Speaking to Liverpoolfc.com in reaction to the news at the team’s hotel in Singapore, Van Dijk declared his own delight at Alexander-Arnold’s progress – which he feels will only continue.

“It’s a proud moment for him obviously and his family,” said Van Dijk.

“I think he’s in a phase now where he has to make that transition of becoming a big leader for the football club. I think he will make those steps. And with the help obviously of myself and the others, Robbo, Ali, Mo, obviously the manager, he can make the next step.

“I think to give that responsibility to him could definitely even more benefit him as well. So it’s a very good choice. Obviously the others as well, they are as important and we all have to make sure that we take the responsibility.”

Van Dijk arrived at Liverpool midway through a 2017-18 campaign in which Alexander-Arnold fully established himself in Jürgen Klopp’s starting XI at right-back.

The pair have since been key figures in the Reds’ domestic, European and global success, and will now set out to be standard bearers together in the pursuit of more trophies.

“It has been good to see definitely,” Van Dijk said of watching Alexander-Arnold flourish. “It’s pleasing. I saw him coming in as a little boy and obviously with loads of quality and loads of potential and he showed it already.

“Obviously everything that we won we did together as well. And now, like I said, he’s in that transition of becoming and feeling that responsibility as well of being one of the leaders of the team. It’s nice to see.

“How we also give everything and work for it, that’s the standard we have to set in order to be successful.”

In full: Van Dijk on becoming new LFC captain