Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has indicated he will personally choose the club's next captain, diverging from the squad election process previously employed. Maresca expressed a desire to incorporate English players into the leadership group.
Under former manager Pep Guardiola, the captain was typically decided by a team vote. This practice was altered in Guardiola's final year, with Kyle Walker eventually leading the team. Ruben Dias is considered a strong candidate for the captaincy, having rejoined the squad recently after a post-World Cup break.
Maresca confirmed that Dias and Erling Haaland are expected to retain their leadership roles from the previous season. The departure of Bernardo Silva, who completed a free transfer to Real Madrid, has created a vacancy. Dias served as second captain last season, with Haaland in fourth. Rodri, who was third in command, is reportedly seeking a move to Barcelona, and Manchester City has already rejected an initial bid of nearly £40 million for the midfielder.
Should Rodri depart, Maresca would require two additional captains to step up. Josko Gvardiol and Phil Foden have publicly expressed their interest in taking on greater responsibility.
Foden and Dias have both captained Manchester City during the team's initial two pre-season friendlies in Asia. Marc Guehi, who joined the club in January, captained Crystal Palace before his move.
Maresca stated his readiness for the upcoming friendly against Atletico Madrid. "There is no pressure (on me), just a privilege," he said. "In terms of expectations, this is a club that needs to win titles. We’re going to try to do exactly that."