At the age of 25, Szoboszlai has risen, often on his own, as a shining light in Liverpool’s struggling team.
He stood above the others and drove the team forward, both from midfield and right-back, and carries himself with an aura that some compare to Steven Gerrard – although this could be largely down to the number 8 on his back!
After Szoboszlai scored against Brighton, Slot was asked if he thinks the Hungarian has the qualities to be a future leader or captain.
Slot replied: “Yes, but he is still young. I think he already has many qualities, especially when it comes to leading by example.
“But there is still a step to be taken in terms of leadership, being vocal, being a voice in the dressing room when I compare him to Virgil.” [van Dijk]which is completely normal because Virgil is 34 and has probably seen James Milner or Jordan Henderson and these players.
“So it’s really good for Dominik that he sees Virgil too. That would be the next step for him, to be as vocal and as loud as Virgil.
“That will come with time, I think, but apart from all the other things, he still has a lot to become a very influential player for Liverpool and you could call that a leader.”
With current captain Virgil van Dijk in the final 18 months of his contract, and vice-captain Andy Robertson set to expire this summer, there could be an opportunity for a new leader to step up soon.
That could be Szoboszlai, if he doesn’t leave for Real Madrid, as his Hungarian coach Marco Rossi has suggested he might one day want to!
Dominik Szoboszlai adds goals to his game
Szoboszlai has scored ten goals and seven assists in his 35 appearances so far this season, making him twice as many goals as he scored in all of last season.
His free-kicks have also become a real asset, at a time when Liverpool are struggling to break through defences.
“He hasn’t always played in the number 10 position, but he is scoring more and more goals,” Slot added.
“I think Dominik is a good example of the model we use here at this club.
“We sign young players from another league – in this situation it was Leipzig, where he was already known as a player who was really physical.
“But I think it’s fair to say that the player we brought in was already good, but where he is now, I think [he is] much better than where he was two and a half years ago.
Dominik Szoboszlai: comparison from season to season
| Category | Season 2024/25 | Season 2025/26* |
|---|---|---|
| Performances | 49 | 35 |
| Goals | 8 | 10 |
| Assists | 9 | 7 |
| Minutes played | 3,429 | 3,128 |
| Yellow cards | 6 | 5 |
*Data correct as of February 16, 2026
“That’s what you get when you sign young players and give them a little bit of time and let them play a lot. That’s why I think the trajectory he has gone through is the same trajectory that we can expect from other young players that we have and that we have signed from other leagues.”
Szoboszlai is well on his way to becoming a figurehead at Liverpool. A midfielder with superior athleticism, he is now entering his prime and will be an integral part of any success that might come in the coming years.
His contract expires in 2028 and Szoboszlai recently said there has been “no progress” in negotiations on a new deal.
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