01 August 2023 , 17:23
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Trent Alexander-Arnold has admitted that he thought he was in trouble when Jurgen Klopp pulled him aside to brief him about his new role as Liverpool vice-captain.
The Reds academy graduate was confirmed as the deputy to new captain Virgil van Dijk on Monday evening - just days after former skipper Jordan Henderson left the club to complete a lucrative transfer to Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ettifaq.
Liverpool's social media team managed to capture the touching moment that Alexander-Arnold discovered his new role during an open training session in Singapore. But the Reds right-back initially thought Klopp was coming over to see him for a very different reason.
Speaking at a press conference in Singapore, Alexander-Arnold admitted: “At first I thought he was going to tell me to stop giving the ball away! It was a lovely surprise, to be honest, it was not one I was expecting in that moment.
"I thought we would have a conversation around that sort of thing at some point but not in that moment. So it was special, it is a moment I’ll remember.”
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Despite being taken aback by the news, Alexander-Arnold has insisted that he is ready to take on such a role after establishing himself as one of Liverpool's most influential players since his breakthrough into the senior ranks.
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Trent Alexander-Arnold was named as Liverpool's new vice-captain on Monday (Liverpool FC)He added: “Of course I feel ready, I feel like without being put in this position, I felt like I’ve been a leader and I lead by example with the things I do on a daily basis in training and in and around the lads. And I think the lads see me as someone in a leadership role, and I’m happy the manager and staff see that too.
“That’s my mentality: I want to lead by example, I want to make sure that I take responsibility for what I do and how the team performs as well. It’s an amazing position to be in but there’s more responsibility on me to make sure that we succeed and we achieve the things we want to this season.”
Alexander-Arnold has clocked up over 270 appearances since transitioning into a first-team star. And Van Dijk believes that the added responsibility that will come with Alexander-Arnold's new role could even take his game to a whole new level.
Van Dijk told Liverpool's official website of Alexander-Arnold: “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.”
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