Liverpool have confirmed Alisson Becker as the club's new vice-captain, though manager Andoni Iraola has clarified that the Brazilian goalkeeper will not take on the captain's armband even in the absence of Virgil van Dijk. Instead, Dominik Szoboszlai and Joe Gomez, the club's longest-serving player, have been named alongside Alisson as part of the new leadership group following the summer departures of Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah.
Iraola explained that Premier League regulations, which restrict communication with match officials over contentious decisions to the team captain, make it impractical for a goalkeeper to hold the role. Under the current rules, only captains are permitted to discuss decisions with referees, and having a goalkeeper as captain would require him to travel the length of the pitch whenever an incident occurs in the opposition's penalty area.
"I explained to Alisson that it's not going to be possible that he wears the armband because with the new rule I think there is a big limitation if a goalkeeper wears the armband," Iraola said. "Because basically, if something happens in the opposition box the referee has to explain to the captains what's happening, all the decisions."
Iraola drew on his past experience to illustrate the difficulty of the situation, referencing his time working with goalkeeper Neto at Bournemouth. "I had one season with Neto in Bournemouth and then you have to start every game to say a different player that can act as a captain, and this is not viable," he said.
Despite the decision, Iraola was keen to stress that Alisson remains a valued figure within the squad's hierarchy. "But I wanted him to feel like we value him. I've had enough time and we will have more time to know each other, but I had to explain also the decision about the armband to Ali," the manager said. "Because he is a goalkeeper and unfortunately they are putting the rules in a way that there is a lot of disadvantages to having a goalkeeper as a captain."
Alisson, who joined Liverpool in 2018, is now entering the final year of his contract at Anfield. With the goalkeeper unable to assume captaincy duties, it is expected that Szoboszlai — who was named the club's player of the season last campaign — would step into the captain's role in matches where Van Dijk is unavailable.
The restructuring of Liverpool's leadership group comes at a time of significant change in the dressing room, with two experienced figures in Robertson and Salah having left the club this summer. However, Iraola downplayed any concerns about a leadership void, insisting that the squad's younger contingent is ready to step up.
"We lost a lot in terms of experience, high-level players who have performed so well for so many years here," Iraola said. "But I think it is also a natural thing in clubs. I think we have a lot of young players willing to take those minutes and ready to take those leadership roles. Overall, I am very happy with the attitude of the players in the pre-season."
Iraola also touched on the futures of some squad members, expressing hope that Cody Gakpo — a reported target for Tottenham Hotspur — remains part of his plans going forward. The manager is set to take charge of Liverpool for the first time in competitive action when the Reds travel to Newcastle United on Sunday.
Based on reporting from The Independent.