Jurgen Klopp has revealed he handed Virgil van Dijk the Liverpool captaincy for his leadership, and for his looks.

Dutch defender Van Dijk has replaced the outgoing Jordan Henderson as the Reds’ skipper, with Trent Alexander-Arnold taking the role of vice captain.

“Virgil has everything to wish for to be a captain of a football club,” Anfield boss Klopp told the club website.

“Number one, he’s probably, let me have a think, definitely the best-looking captain in the Premier League, which is important for team pictures!

“But, of course, personality-wise everything is there. He wants to be a leader, he is a leader.

“He has to step up, like all of us have to step up because we were used to things how they always were and now we have to create something new – a new structure, a new culture – and that’s really exciting. He will play a massive role in that – he has to.”