Liverpool faces captaincy crisis and closes door on Chiesa's exit
The captain’s armband sparked a crisis within Liverpool’s ranks following their 1-0 friendly victory over Wrexham. Footage showed a verbal altercation between Hungarian Dominik Szoboszlai and Englishman Curtis Jones, before Greek defender Kostas Tsimikas removed the armband and threw it to the ground. The British newspaper The Telegraph clarified that Szoboszlai, who was substituted in the 75th minute and handed the armband to Tsimikas, is seeking to become the vice-captain. The decision to award the armband to the Greek player raised eyebrows, given that he spent last season on loan at Roma and had been a backup for several years.
Jones, for his part, faces doubts about his future at the club, with his name linked to a €35 million move to Inter Milan, while the club’s management demands €40 million. When asked about the incident, Szoboszlai avoided giving a direct answer, affirming the players’ commitment to the instructions of team captain Virgil van Dijk and new manager Andoni Iraola, noting that changes within the team take time. The crisis comes at a sensitive time following the departures of Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson, and the team’s poor results last season, which saw them finish fifth in the league and exit the Champions League in the quarter-finals against Paris Saint-Germain.
In a related development, Liverpool have closed the door on the departure of their Italian winger Federico Chiesa, despite interest from several clubs, most notably Atlético Madrid. The player, who joined in the summer of 2024 after four seasons with Juventus, has not enjoyed a successful first season under Arne Slot, starting in only five of 36 matches. However, he scored two goals and provided one assist in the league during 319 minutes of play. Despite this, club management believes the 28-year-old can make a significant contribution, especially with the arrival of Spanish coach Iraola, who may give him a greater opportunity to prove himself as a regular starter.
Thus, the leadership crisis intersects with the Chiesa situation, revealing a comprehensive rebuilding phase within Liverpool. The club is seeking to overcome internal tensions while simultaneously betting on attacking players to compensate for the departure of its star names.
