With his cap on backwards, Jurgen Klopp strolled across to Trent Alexander-Arnold during Saturday’s open training session at Singapore’s National Stadium and affectionately draped an arm around his shoulders.
A brief chat was followed by a warm embrace between the Liverpool manager and his new vice-captain before they went their separate ways.
“At first I thought he was going to tell me to stop giving the ball away,” joked a beaming Alexander-Arnold, prompting Klopp – sat alongside him as they looked ahead to Wednesday’s final Asia tour game here against Bayern Munich – to burst into laughter.
“It was a lovely surprise to be honest, not one I was expecting at that moment. It was special. A moment I will remember.”
The moment @TrentAA found out he was going to be our vice-captain ❤️ pic.twitter.com/hZB0kMPhK3
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 31, 2023
It marks the next stage in the evolution of Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool career.
There was a void to be filled in Liverpool’s leadership group following the summer exits of Jordan Henderson and James Milner, and while Virgil van Dijk was always expected to be handed the captaincy given his seniority in the squad and the fact he was previously third in command, the choice of vice-captain was less clear-cut.
The fact Klopp turned to Alexander-Arnold speaks volumes for how he’s regarded both on and off the field by players and staff alike.
With Van Dijk now 32, this is succession planning. Alexander-Arnold has never made any secret of the fact he wants to ultimately lead the club he joined at the age of six and now the 24-year-old is firmly on course to achieve that mission.
Alexander-Arnold has become an increasingly vocal presence in the dressing room since he was voted on to Liverpool’s leadership group two years ago and now he has the role to go with it.
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“I feel ready for it,” he says. “I feel like I’ve been a leader and I lead by example with the things I do on a daily basis around the lads. They see me as someone in a leadership role and I’m happy the manager and staff see that too.
“I want to make sure I take responsibility for what I do and how the team performs as well. It’s an amazing position to be in. There’s more responsibility on me to make sure we succeed and achieve the things we want this season.
“Virgil as captain makes complete sense. It’s a good decision. He’s the captain of his country. He has big shoes to fill in Hendo (Jordan Henderson) who was an amazing captain, but I’m sure Virgil will follow that and do it in his own way. We will all follow him in the direction he leads us to.”
Scotland skipper Andy Robertson and Alisson were already on the leadership group and Klopp has also added Mohamed Salah, who also captains Egypt. Robertson is effectively third in command.
It will be seven years in October since Klopp handed Alexander-Arnold his debut in a League Cup win over Tottenham. Now he’s got 273 appearances under his belt and a medal collection that boasts every major honour he has competed for.
After sweeping changes this summer, it’s a new era at Anfield with the academy graduate at the heart of it.
“I’ve seen him in the last seven years growing and developing as a player and as a man,” Klopp says. “It’s clear that at this club you need a specific DNA. If not him then who could have that? He knows how I value him. We have had similar conversations about that in the past.
“It was about timing and we both didn’t think we’d have to think about it this year. It’s not against anybody else at all. It’s a decision for Trent.
“I could imagine for a boy from West Derby it’s a big thing for him and his family. But it’s not because of that. It’s because of his personality. He deserves it.”
(Photo: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
Alexander-Arnold spent Saturday night in his hotel room at Singapore’s Ritz-Carlton reflecting on how far he has come since the days when he would peer through the holes in the wall outside Liverpool’s former training ground Melwood to catch a glimpse of his heroes.
“I thought I’m proud of myself. It’s made me smile,” he says, prompting Klopp to interject. “It really takes something for him to smile,” he laughed.
For Alexander-Arnold, though, this is a reward for lots of seriously hard work.
“I’ve never been shy of saying what my ambitions are – it’s always been to captain this club,” he said. “This is a stepping stone to that. It’s a role and responsibility I’m really looking forward to. I can’t wait to get the season started.”
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There’s certainly no doubting Alexander-Arnold’s resilience. He endured the toughest time of his professional career during Liverpool’s slump last season before a tactical change transformed both his and Liverpool’s fortunes during the run-in.
The England international has carried on where he left off, stepping into midfield and pulling the strings with his range of passing.
“It’s clear to see I enjoy playing in there,” he adds. “Since the transition and adaptation, it’s brought the best out of me. There’s a lot of work that’s gone into it and a lot more needs to happen to iron out the creases, but we’re working on it with new players adapting to it.
“Studying it and learning is something I enjoy. This role is definitely something that will bring the best out of me, whether it’s starting in there or transitioning into those areas when in possession. For me it’s just about getting in those areas to impact and affect the game and using the skillset I’ve got to help the team win.”
(Top photo: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)