Erling Haaland is part of the leadership group at Manchester City, making him one of the players who could become captain now that Bernardo Silva has left and Rodri could leave in the coming weeks.
Haaland is their main goalscorer, and some people would argue that he is the most important player in every game for the club. Even those who do not agree now may struggle to identify another important player in the group besides Haaland if Rodri is sold by the Citizens.
Haaland Among The Main Options
City have a new manager, and Enzo Maresca will have to decide who will captain the team this season. He has many players to choose from, but the top two candidates for the role would appear to be Erling Haaland and Ruben Dias.
However, when recently asked about the leadership role, Maresca made an interesting statement, saying, according to Nettavisen:
“When I was at Leicester and Chelsea, we had a rule that the captain came out to the bench to get instructions when we scored instead of celebrating. So if the captain scores, he can’t celebrate. Imagine what a problem Erling would have had then.”
The comment is particularly interesting because Haaland is City’s main goalscorer, meaning he is regularly involved in celebrations after finding the net. If the captain had to leave the celebrations to receive instructions, Haaland could potentially face a difficult situation under that rule.
A Subtle Statement From Maresca?
Maresca’s comment could therefore raise questions about whether Haaland is his preferred choice for the captaincy. His statement may simply have been made in reference to Haaland’s goalscoring and celebrations, but it could also be interpreted as a subtle indication that he does not want the striker to become the team’s captain.
With Rodri potentially leaving, Haaland could become an even more important figure within the group. His role as a goalscorer already makes him central to the team, while his position within the leadership group also puts him among the possible candidates for the captaincy.
The decision will ultimately be Maresca’s, with Haaland and Dias appearing to be the two leading options mentioned in this discussion. The question remains whether Maresca’s recent comment was simply a lighthearted observation or a subtle statement about who he wants to lead Manchester City this season.
