Steven Gerrard says his former England team-mate Jordan Henderson is the perfect candidate to take over the Liverpool captaincy.
The former England Under-21 captain has been Gerrard's deputy at Anfield since the beginning of the 2014-15 season, and the outgoing skipper says Henderson has what it takes to lead the club after his departure.
"I certainly believe Jordan has everything you need to be a great captain," he told the Liverpool Echo.
"He's a fantastic professional who tries to lead by example in every training session and in every game.
Jordan Henderson wore the captain's armband during his time as an Under-21 international
"He has really grown as a player and is improving all the time with experience. He can become a great captain for this club.
"He's a fantastic player for me to hand the armband over to. I've got great respect for Jordan Henderson and I know everyone else at the club feels the same."
Gerrard confirmed last week that he would be leaving Anfield after 17 years in the first-team squad.
Henderson joined from Sunderland 2011, and Gerrard says that after a difficult start, he is now confident the midfielder is at home in the red of Liverpool.
"Initially, it was very difficult for Jordan," added Gerrard.
“He's a fantastic player for me to hand the armband over to.”
Steven Gerrard on Jordan Henderson
"He was a Sunderland boy and moving to Liverpool was his first time out of the area. It was a big move at a young age.
"Playing for Liverpool, with all the pressure and expectation, is tough. It's a very demanding club.
"Jordan stayed and toughed it out. It's in difficult situations like that you learn a lot about the type of player and the type of character someone is.
"He knuckled down and worked even harder. He's a true professional and a very strong character. Every day he's in the gym doing extra work.
"He doesn't drink and he looks after himself. He has made a lot of sacrifices to play well for this club."
