It has often been said this season that Manchester United have lacked real leadership on the pitch, in terms of a voice of gusto, of encouragement and of constructive criticism.
Wayne Rooney is certainly a fitting captain for a club like Manchester United – he’s a big figure on the pitch whose record demands respect, he’s well-liked off the field at the club and his passion and determination in his game rub off onto others.
However, it seems likely at the moment that both he and vice-captain Michael Carrick will be leaving the club come the end of the season, with Rooney’s game-time having been severely limited this season and Carrick yet to be offered a new contract.
If both are to leave, they will take with them a whole host of vital experience, winners medals and the famous winning mentality instilled at Old Trafford by Sir Alex Ferguson.
It’ll take a certain type of character to step up to the mantle to replace Rooney as captain of one of the biggest clubs in the world. Here are our suggested candidates, from the current squad…
Antonio Valencia
Valencia is one of United’s longer-serving players in the current squad and is a fan favourite nowadays.
A bullish and determined player, he always leaves everything out on the pitch and you can certainly imagine young players looking up to him.
He has a fantastic attitude, a good understanding of the club and is certainly one of the better options for the armband.
Eric Bailly
The Ivorian centre-back is nearing the end of his first season as a Red Devil – and he is without a doubt Jose Mourinho’s first-choice centre back.
His bold manner on the pitch would make him a captain who leads by example – but it counts against him that he’ll be away on Africa Cup of Nations duty every second season.
Marcos Rojo
The man from Argentina has completely reversed the direction of his United career. At the start of the season, he was one of the first on fans’ lists of unwanted players and looked nervy on the pitch almost all the time.
Now, he’s forged a formidable partnership with Bailly and has a whole host of the fans back on side – and he’s really looking like the kind of centre-back United need.
A vocal player, he could be a good candidate if he keeps improving at his current rate
Ander Herrera
The subject of the captaincy has rarely gone unaccompanied in a sentence by Herrera’s name this week – his phenomenal display against league leaders Chelsea was one of the best individual performances by any player in recent times and he showed all the attributes of a real Manchester United captain.
His marked consistency and improvement this season really strengthen his case and it seems that he is the favourite to inherit the armband.
Paul Pogba
Pogba is really maturing under Mourinho and the United captaincy could be something which helps him along even more along his quest to be the world’s best player.
The trust it would instill in him would be huge for him – and having such a dominant figure wearing that armband would be a joy to see.
His ability commands respect and his stature in the dressing room means he could be a fantastic captain in the years to come.
Juan Mata
Mata is a player who just “gets” United. Like Patrice Evra before him, he has enveloped himself in the rich history of Manchester United and his character, in that respect, makes him more deserving of the armband than most.
Add to that his fantastic relationship with the fans as well as his team-mates, his unerring ability to produce in the biggest of games and his all-round play, and he is another absolutely prime candidate.