Virgil Van Dijk says he will miss Jordan Henderson greatly - but he is ready to step into the departed captain’s shoes and take on the armband and key leadership role this season.
Henderson controversially left Anfield for Saudi Arabia last week, joining Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq on a £300,000-a-week deal in a move that led many to question his previous stance on homosexuality after moving to a country where being gay is a crime.
On a football level, Liverpool also lose their biggest leader figure and captain with just a fortnight to go until the new season starts, with fellow midfielder Fabinho set to follow the influential figure to Saudi Arabia.