It is not beyond the realms of possibility that Arne Slot might have to appoint a new Liverpool captain in 2025. The Reds currently boast a five-man leadership group, but the entire quintet perhaps face uncertain futures at the club.

Skipper Virgil van Dijk, vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah are all out of contract at the end of the season. While Liverpool would like to retain the services of all three, the trio remain the subject of speculation as their contract sagas rumble on.

Andy Robertson and Alisson Becker make up the leadership group, but the Scotland international’s own contract expires in 2026 while he is currently finding his starting berth at threat for the first real time in his Anfield career.

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Meanwhile, Liverpool have agreed a £29m deal with Valencia for Giorgi Mamardashvili to join the next club next summer with their future plans in the goalkeeping department uncertain as a result.

All five players have captained the Reds in competitive matches at some point in their Anfield careers. But they are not the only players in Slot’s ranks to have donned the armband.

Joe Gomez, who nearly left the club to sign for Newcastle United last summer, has regularly skippered the side in the absence of their leadership group as Liverpool’s longest-serving player. Likewise, Curtis Jones has also been turned to on occasion.

And Wataru Endo actually wore the armband for the first time in the Reds’ League Cup quarter-final victory over Southampton last week following Alexander-Arnold and Gomez’s withdrawals at half-time. While he hasn’t officially captained Liverpool as a result, his leadership credentials are undisputed given his status as Japan captain.

Slot boasts plenty of leaders in his Reds ranks as a result, with Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley also both boasting international experience as captains even if they have not led Liverpool out at club-level.

With Alexis Mac Allister’s own credentials also acknowledged by Alisson earlier this season, Slot has plenty of contenders if he is forced into a reshuffle of the Reds leadership group next year.

Liverpool have actually only had three permanent captains since Steven Gerrard’s appointment as skipper in October 2003, with Jordan Henderson succeeding the legendary midfielder in 2015 before Van Dijk was promoted in 2023.

But 35 different players have led out the Reds since Gerard Houllier handed the armband to the legendary Liverpool midfielder. While a number, like all recent members of the leadership group or long-standing former vice-captain Jamie Carragher are rather obvious, the ECHO takes a look at 17 players you forgot captained the Reds…

Jerzy Dudek

Dudek captained Liverpool four times during his Reds career, with the first coming when Houllier’s side lost 3-2 at home to Bolton Wanderers in the League Cup fourth round in December 2003.

He would also lead out Liverpool three times in the competition the following year as Rafa Benitez’s side reached the final, captaining a young side in the third round, fourth round and quarter-final victories over Millwall, Middlesbrough and Tottenham Hotspur - helping the Reds triumph on penalties in the latter

Dirk Kuyt

Kuyt officially captained Liverpool only twice during his Reds career, first donning the armband in a League Cup fourth round defeat at Arsenal in October 2009 in Benitez’s final season in charge.

He was later handed the armband the following month in the Premier League at home to Birmingham City in the absence of the suspended Carragher, with Gerrard only fit enough for a place on the bench following his return from injury.

Sotirios Kyrgiakos

Greek defender Kyrgiakos only captained Liverpool once and it proved to be a night to forget for the Reds. He was given the armband by Roy Hodgson for a League Cup third round meeting with Northampton Town in September 2010.

Liverpool lost on penalties to the League Two side after a 2-2 draw on what is regarded as one of the worst results in their history. Kyrgiakos at least set up David Ngog’s equaliser in extra-time to avoid further embarrassment though.

Daniel Agger

Agger was Liverpool’s vice-captain during the 2013/14 season before being sold back to Brondby, so perhaps it should not be that much of a surprise that he skippered the Reds.

But what is a surprise is that he actually only led Liverpool out twice, as Gerrard started 38 of Liverpool’s 43 matches under Brendan Rodgers that season. The Dane would first wear the armband for a 2-1 Premier League defeat to Chelsea in December 2013, before retaining it days later for a 2-0 victory over Hull City.

Rickie Lambert

Lambert captained his boyhood club only once during his solitary season at the club, coming just a month after making his debut for Liverpool. The veteran striker led the Reds out for their League Cup third round clash with Middlesbrough, but had been substituted for Mario Balotelli long before the bumper 14-13 penalty shoot-out.

Mamadou Sakho

Previously captain of Paris Saint-Germain, Sakho skippered Liverpool only once during his Reds career. He was given the armband by Rodgers for a 1-1 draw away at Bordeaux in the Europa League group-stages in September 2015.

Kolo Toure

Toure followed in Sakho’s footsteps weeks later when he captained Liverpool for the only time in October 2015, only a couple of weeks before Rodgers was dismissed as manager.

The Ivorian was handed the armband once in the Europa League as the Reds drew 1-1 at home to Sion in the Europa League group-stages. He’d then captain Liverpool against AFC Bournemouth in the League Cup later the same month as Jurgen Klopp claimed his first win as manager.

Christian Benteke

Having quickly fallen out of favour under Klopp, Benteke captained Liverpool for the first and only time as a very youthful Reds side drew 2-2 away at Exeter City in the FA Cup third round in January 2016. He would insist Jerome Sinclair for Liverpool’s first equaliser on the night.

Jose Enrique

Klopp would hand Enrique the armband for the FA Cup third round replay at Anfield as the Reds won 3-0 in January 2016. It would prove to be his last start for the club as he partnered Tiago Ilori at centre-back in a makeshift back four.

Joe Allen

The FA Cup captaincy rotation continued under Klopp in the fourth round in January 2016 as Allen skippered Liverpool for the first and only time as they drew 0-0 with West Ham United at Anfield.

Jon Flanagan

Another one-time captain, Flanagan was chosen to lead out Liverpool when they travelled to Southampton in the Premier League in March 2016. The Reds were 2-0 up at half-time but ended up losing 3-2 at St. Mary’s.

With Sadio Mane scoring a brace, such a match played a part in his own move to Anfield the following summer. In contrast, Flanagan would only make four more appearances for the club.

Simon Mignolet

Mignolet captained Liverpool three times during the 2017/18 season, with the first coming in a 4-1 victory away at West Ham United in the Premier League in November 2017.

He would later lead out the Reds as they won 3-0 away at Stoke City and 2-1 away at Burnley, with the latter on New Year’s Day proving to be his last Premier League appearance for the club as the Belgian lost his place to Loris Karius.

Philippe Coutinho

Coutinho was three times named captain by Klopp during the first half of the 2017/18 season, with it part of the German’s failed attempts to persuade the Brazilian to resist the lure of Barcelona.

He scored a hat-trick the first time he skippered Liverpool in a 7-0 thrashing of Spartak Moscow in the Champions League in December 2017, before wearing it for a 0-0 draw at home to West Bromwich Albion.

Coutinho captained the Reds for the final time when returning a goal and an assist in a 5-0 thrashing of Swansea City on Boxing Day as he made his penultimate appearance for the club.

Dejan Lovren

Lovren captained Liverpool only twice, with his debut as skipper proving to be a particularly memorable encounter as the Reds beat Manchester City 4-3 at Anfield in the Premier League in January 2018.

He would be handed the armband for the second and final time in January 2020 as the Reds drew 2-2 away at Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup fourth round.

Emre Can

Like with Coutinho, Klopp handed Can the armband towards the end of his Liverpool career as perhaps part of a failed attempt to persuade him to stay at the club and sign a new contract.

The German first captained when they lost 1-0 away to Swansea City in the Premier League in January 2018. He’d then lead the Reds out at Anfield for their 3-2 FA Cup fourth round exit to West Bromwich Albion, before enjoying his first and only victory as skipper in his final outing with the armband as Liverpool won 2-0 away at Southampton in the English top-flight the following month.

Pedro Chirivella

With Liverpool through to the League Cup quarter-finals in December 2019 but also having to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar, the Reds opted to field a team made up of academy players away at Aston Villa while the first team were crowned champions of the world in the Middle East.

Consequently, Chrivella was handed the armband for the only time as he led a side of Under-21s and Under-18s players as they suffered a 5-0 defeat at Villa Park.

Roberto Firmino

Firmino also captained Liverpool only once during his Anfield career, but it proved to be a memorable occasion. Handed the armband away at West Bromwich Albion in May 2021, the Brazilian was the skipper when compatriot Alisson Becker scored his famous last-minute winner at the Hawthorns to help the Reds edge closer to securing Champions League football against the odds after an injury-plagued campaign.