Quick Read
- Liverpool faces a leadership vacancy if vice-captain Andy Robertson departs, with preliminary transfer talks with Tottenham underway.
- Mohamed Salah is considered an ‘obvious successor’ for the vice-captain role due to his seniority and influence.
- Salah’s relationship with manager Arne Slot is reportedly ‘strained’ following a recent outburst.
- Liverpool is open to selling Salah in the summer transfer window, complicating his leadership prospects.
- Salah previously expressed disappointment in 2020 when overlooked for captaincy in a Champions League match.
LIVERPOOL (Azat TV) – Liverpool Football Club faces a significant leadership decision at Anfield following reports of vice-captain Andy Robertson’s potential departure, which could pave the way for star forward Mohamed Salah to assume a more formal leadership role. This development, however, arrives amidst ongoing scrutiny of Salah’s relationship with new manager Arne Slot and the club’s acknowledged openness to a summer transfer for the Egyptian international, adding layers of complexity to a potentially pivotal moment for the Reds’ squad hierarchy.
Robertson’s Potential Exit Creates Leadership Vacuum
The immediate catalyst for Liverpool’s leadership conundrum is the expiring contract of left-back Andy Robertson. Preliminary discussions have reportedly begun between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur regarding a potential January transfer for the Scottish international. While talks are in their early stages, Robertson’s potential exit would leave a significant void, not only on the pitch but also within the club’s established leadership group.
Arne Slot, who took the managerial reins last summer, appointed Robertson as vice-captain following Trent Alexander-Arnold’s move to Real Madrid. Robertson, who also captains Scotland, has been a cornerstone of Liverpool’s success and is highly regarded for his professionalism and commitment. His departure would necessitate Slot appointing a new deputy to current captain Virgil van Dijk, prompting a critical evaluation of the squad’s most influential figures.
Salah’s Clear Candidacy and Lingering Tensions
On paper, Mohamed Salah emerges as an obvious candidate for the vice-captaincy. As Liverpool’s most senior attacker and one of the longest-serving players in the squad, he possesses both experience and immense influence within the dressing room. Salah has frequently worn the captain’s armband in cup competitions during previous seasons, underscoring his perceived leadership qualities among his peers and previous management.
However, the path to a formal leadership role for Salah is far from straightforward. His relationship with manager Arne Slot has reportedly been strained following an ‘outburst’ after a draw against Leeds last month. While the club has indicated the situation has been resolved, underlying tensions persist. This dynamic is further complicated by Liverpool’s reported openness to selling Salah in the upcoming summer transfer window, raising questions about his long-term future at the club.
Past Snubs and Public Disappointment
Salah’s desire for formal recognition of his leadership has a precedent. He has historically shown frustration when he feels overlooked for such roles, a sensitivity that famously surfaced in 2020. During a Champions League group-stage match against Midtjylland, then-manager Jurgen Klopp opted to hand the captaincy to a 22-year-old Alexander-Arnold, despite Salah being one of the most experienced players on the pitch due to heavy squad rotation. Salah publicly expressed his disappointment to Diario AS after the game, stating, “Honestly, I was very disappointed. I was expecting to be the captain.”
Klopp later acknowledged that his decision “may have been a mistake,” conceding that giving the armband to Alexander-Arnold on that specific occasion was not the right call. However, Klopp also maintained that the captaincy might not necessarily have gone to Salah, noting that another longer-serving member of the squad had also been overlooked. This historical context suggests that bypassing Salah for the vice-captaincy now, especially given the current circumstances, carries its own set of risks and could easily reignite past frustrations.
Implications for Slot and Squad Cohesion
Arne Slot’s decision on the next vice-captain will be a significant early test of his authority and leadership at Anfield. Choosing Salah could be seen as an effort to integrate a key player more deeply into the club’s leadership structure and potentially mitigate existing tensions. Conversely, overlooking Salah could exacerbate the strained relationship, particularly if the club is already considering his departure. The manager must weigh the benefits of formalizing Salah’s influence against the potential for renewed friction, all while navigating the broader strategic considerations of squad development and future transfer policy.
The unfolding situation at Liverpool underscores the delicate balance a manager must strike between acknowledging the ambitions of senior players and asserting their own authority, especially in the wake of significant leadership changes and potential player exits.