Who will succeed Virgil van Dijk as next Liverpool captain? Reds told they have ideal candidate that shares leadership ‘characteristics’ with Steven Gerrard

Home-grown hero Gerrard became an Anfield icon across 17 years as a first-team star that delivered 710 appearances, 186 goals and Champions League glory. He passed skipper duties on to Jordan Henderson when heading to MLS with the LA Galaxy in 2015.

Dutch centre-half Van Dijk was next man up in the summer of 2023 and hoisted the Premier League title aloft last season. He will turn 35 in July and has a little over 12 months remaining on his contract.

When Van Dijk departs, a prominent role on Merseyside will become vacant once more. It is imperative that the right leader is selected to guide Liverpool forward - as the iconic footsteps of Gerrard, Ian Rush, Alan Hansen, Graeme Souness, Phil Thompson and Emlyn Hughes are followed in.

Quizzed on who is best placed to take on that job, ex-Reds full-back Johnson - speaking exclusively to GOAL in association with BetMGM - said: “Now, in terms of their squad and their main starting XI, I think it's Szoboszlai.

“I think he's been there long enough now to know the club and understand the club. He always puts his best foot forward. He's played out of position many times to do what the team needs. And for me, that's kind of the characteristics that Stevie had - sometimes he'd sacrifice his own performance, not often, for what the team needed.

“I think Szoboszlai has that character. Yes, he has his outbursts and upsets a few people along the way, but he wears his heart on his sleeve and he cares and he wants to win, so I don't mind that so much.”

While Szoboszlai is a leading contender to take over from Van Dijk, it remains to be seen whether he will be at Anfield long enough to become club captain. He is working on a deal through to the end of the 2027-28 campaign.

No extension has been agreed as yet and rumours of interest from La Liga giants Real Madrid refuse to go away. Opportunities to become a ‘Galactico’ in the Spanish capital do not come along very often.

Pressed on whether that would make it difficult for Szoboszlai to shun any advances, if they were to be made in upcoming transfer windows, Johnson said: “Absolutely. Obviously players won't talk about it because of being respectful to the club and fans and stuff like that, but absolutely Real Madrid are a big, iconic club. So are Liverpool, and there's many more, but it is hard for players to not at least have an ego interest, even if they've got no interest in leaving.

“Hopefully Liverpool can keep hold of him but as you get towards the end of the contract, or big teams that are performing well are interested, you've got competition on your hands.”

Szoboszlai has stated his “love” for Liverpool since seeing Real Madrid speculation surface and admits that comparisons with Gerrard - having taken on the fabled No.8 shirt at Anfield - are a “big compliment”.

Whether he goes on to fill the armband, potentially savouring trophy triumphs of his own, is yet to be determined. It may be that another candidate emerges, or is acquired, and a new era is embraced with an entirely different option succeeding Van Dijk as the on-field leader of a Red army.