Matthijs de Ligt congratulates Virgil van Dijk on being made Liverpool captain

Speaking to media on Bayern Munich’s Asia tour, Matthijs de Ligt has congratulated his Dutch teammate Virgil van Dijk on being appointed as Liverpool’s new captain, following the departure of Jordan Henderson.

“I’ve been playing with Virgil in the national team for five years,” said De Ligt. “He’s a role model and has achieved a lot. I also want to congratulate him on becoming the new [Liverpool] captain. I also have good contact with Cody Gakpo. I’m happy he’s doing well there.”

Van Dijk takes over from Henderson, who joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq, with Trent Alexander-Arnold being appointed as the club’s vice-captain following the departure of James Milner. Van Dijk captains the Netherlands and also wore the Liverpool armband eight times last season, as noted by The Guardian.

De Ligt is currently undergoing preparations with Bayern Munich as they look to retain their Bundesliga crown. The first leg of their Asia tour started in Japan, where they lost to Manchester City and beat Kawasaki Frontale, before they flew to Singapore on Sunday. During their time in Singapore, they will play Liverpool.

It’s also expected to be a busy week for Bayern Munich on the transfer front. Sadio Mané will join Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, while the club are working on a deal to bring Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane to Bavaria.

GGFN | Daniel Pinder