Ruben Dias is in pole position to become Manchester City’s next captain – because Erling Haaland scores so many goals.
New manager Enzo Maresca is yet to pick the next skipper, after Bernardo Silva left to join Real Madrid, but for now defender Dias and striker Haaland are the only two of the previous leadership group left in contention.
But Maresca likes to call his captain over to the touchline to make tactical changes after his side scores, which counts against Haaland, who got 38 goals last season and has 162 in four years with City.
That points to Dias leading the team, with Maresca saying: “Because if he scores he can’t celebrate, yes.
“Ruben has shown during his time at this club how he is as a player, in terms of leadership. It’s important for the captain and the leader to know that the reason they are captain is because I expect more from them. It’s not because I give them more freedom or advantage. It’s the opposite, the leadership group and captains have to show more and give more than the others.”
Spain’s World Cup-winning captain Rodri is also at City and was one of the four senior players in Pep Guardiola’s squad last season.
But Barcelona have made two bids for the midfielder and Maresca seemed to hint he will leave when he said he will add two more players to Dias and Haaland in his leadership group.
“At the moment, Ruben and Erling [are the only two],” Maresca added. “But I want to wait until the end of the window and then pick two more.”
Candidates could include Phil Foden, now City’s longest-serving first-team player, Gianluigi Donnarumma, who captains Italy, Marc Guehi, who skippered Crystal Palace when they won the FA Cup and the experienced Mateo Kovacic.
Maresca will have his first competitive game in charge of City on Sunday when they face Arsenal in the Community Shield.
Elliot Anderson could make his debut after his record £116m move from Nottingham Forest and it was notable Maresca described the England international as a “holding midfielder”.
With Rodri potentially leaving the Etihad Stadium, Maresca implied that Anderson could be in line to take his role directly in front of the defence.
“He's a holding midfielder,” the Italian said. “He can also be an attacking midfielder. The good thing about Elliot first of all is that he is young so you can work with him and help him to improve as a [No] 6 or an 8 arriving in the box. At Forest he was playing next to [Ibrahim] Sangare and with England he was playing next to [Declan] Rice, so two physical players next to him. But I also think that in some games he doesn't need a physical player next to him. It depends a little bit on the game plan and the other team.”