Who to replace the long-serving Liverpool captain?
With recent reports that Liverpool’s long-serving inspirational captain Steven Gerrard could be open to quitting the club at the end of this season, CaughtOffside looks at the Reds’ difficult task of finding a replacement to take the armband.
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The 34-year-old midfielder has been at Liverpool for his entire career so far and is still very much the hearbeat of his team, so much so that it is hard to imagine the Merseyside giants without him.
Many of this current Liverpool squad is young or new to the club, and Gerrard’s departure would leave a gaping hole in terms of experience and overall identity and culture of the Reds.
With a worrying lack of options in this current squad, here are five who perhaps seem best suited for the role of replacing him as captain, though none really stands out as ideal…
5) Daniel Sturridge
A great player who looks likely to become a Liverpool legend, could Daniel Sturridge be the player to lead by example for the Reds, or is he too laid back in his manner to be captain material?
4) Martin Skrtel
A long-serving and committed player, Martin Skrtel may be a decent candidate for the armband, though the Slovakian has no guarantees of being first choice in the near future as he looks slightly past his best form.
3) Lucas Leiva
A top midfielder and popular figure at Anfield, but is Brazilian star Lucas Leiva too injury prone to be considered a serious option to captain Liverpool?
2) Jon Flanagan
Like Gerrard, a terrific product of Liverpool’s youth academy who could go down as an Anfield great if he maintains his superb form from last season, but at 21 years of age, the England international is probably still too young for the role.
1) Jordan Henderson
Far and away the best candidate, midfielder Jordan Henderson has grown into a senior figure in this Liverpool team and put some poor early form behind him to become a vitally important player for the Reds. At present, it is hard to see past Henderson to be the next Reds skipper.