Leadership Changes

Amid a difficult season, Virgil van Dijk has reportedly decided not to renew his contract with Liverpool FC, entering the final year of his deal. As a result, the Reds appear to be leading the race to sign Marcos Senesi as his short-term replacement in the squad. Liverpool are facing one of their most difficult seasons in recent years. Not only are they not in contention to win the Premier League, but they were also eliminated from the UEFA Champions League. In addition, Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson have announced their departures. Adding further complications, Virgil van Dijk has reportedly decided not to renew his contract, forcing the club to pursue the signing of Marcos Senesi. According to James Pearce, via The Athletic, Virgil van Dijk has decided not to renew his contract with Liverpool. Although he is an undisputed starter for head coach Arne Slot, the Dutch defender has decided to leave the team at the end of the 2026-27 season, as he has one year remaining on his contract. With this, the Reds could face significant uncertainty, as Joe Gomez’s contract also expires that same season and Ibrahima Konate has not yet renewed his contract. Amid uncertainty surrounding Ibrahima Konaté, the Reds have already secured the signing of Jérémy Jacquet, paying €63.6M to Stade Rennes, with the defender joining Giovanni Leoni as part of the club’s future core. However, the potential departure of van Dijk has forced Liverpool to prioritize the signing of Marcos Senesi, leading the race for his signature ahead of Chelsea and Manchester United, according to Pete Hall and Mark Douglas via The iPaper. At 28 years old and with four years of Premier League experience, Marcos Senesi would represent an immediate solution for the Reds. By securing his arrival, Liverpool FC would add one of the top left-footed defenders in England, who could benefit from a season alongside Virgil van Dijk to fully adapt to the team. Additionally, the Argentine could play a key role in allowing Giovanni Leoni time to develop, as both share a similar left-footed profile. Marcos Senesi of Bournemouth holds of the challenge from Brentford’s Igor Thiago. Virgil van Dijk’s departure could mark the end of an era at Liverpool Following the arrival of Arne Slot, Liverpool have undergone a major squad rebuild, with the departures of Luis Díaz, Darwin Núñez, and Trent Alexander-Arnold among the first. Far from ending there, Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson have also announced their exits at the end of the season, losing several key leaders. On top of that, the potential departures of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker would mark the end of an era at the Reds. With contracts running until 2027, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker are reportedly not expected to renew and could leave as free agents, meaning Liverpool FC would lose key figures from its leadership core. As a result, the Reds face the difficult challenge of replacing their on-field impact, with Giorgi Mamardashvili seen as the successor to the Brazilian, while Marcos Senesi could step in for the Dutchman. Van Dijk has already pointed to Dominik Szoboszlai as his preferred candidate to become the Reds’ next captain. Still, head coach Arne Slot would need to select two additional leaders, with Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch potentially stepping up. This would mark the beginning of a new era for Liverpool, one that raises questions about the squad’s competitiveness and leadership structure.

Sandra Herrera and Lisa Roman discuss the latest news and notes around the world of women's football. They start by discussing the latest out of the NWSL, the 14th expansion city in the Bay Area will join the NWSL in 2024. Leaders and former US Soccer legends Aly Wagner, Leslie Osbourn, Danielle Slaton and Brandi Chastain lead the way for the new club. 2023 NWSL Draft pick Mykiaa Minniss's mother speaks about alleging the mistreatment of her daughter at Kansas City Current during preseason. In the international game, Sam Kerr hits 50 career WSL goals in just 62 appearances. Plus, Herve Renard has been named France Football's new team manager just 4 months out from the Women's World Cup. The USWNT PA has announced new leadership in Tierna Davidson, plus Nike dropped their Women's World Cup kits. Full stories and news. Watch USWNT, NWSL and WSL games on P+" with a link to https://www.paramountplus.com/home/ Attacking Third is available for free on the Audacy app as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and wherever else you listen to podcasts. Follow the Attacking Third team on Twitter: @AttackingThird, @SandHerrera_, @LRoman32 Visit the Attacking Third YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/attackingthird You can listen to Attacking Third on your smart speakers! Simply say "Alexa, play the latest episode of the Attacking Third podcast" or "Hey Google, play the latest episode of the Attacking Third podcast." For more soccer coverage from CBS Sports, visit https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices