Why Erling Haaland May Not Be Manchester City’s Next Captain
Manchester City's new head coach Enzo Maresca explains why Erling Haaland is unlikely to be named captain due to a unique tactical rule. Meanwhile, England U21 striker Divin Mubama has joined Southampton on loan following an impressive preseason tour.
Erling Haaland may not be in line for the Manchester City captaincy, and new manager Enzo Maresca has a rather unusual reason for it.
Maresca has a rule from his time at Leicester City and Chelsea: after City score, the captain must leave the celebration and go to the bench for tactical instructions.
That could be a problem with Haaland, who is one of City's most frequent goalscorers.
Speaking during City's preseason tour in Asia, Maresca explained that he expects the captain to come to the bench after a goal because there can still be things to adjust, even during a short break in play.
He then joked about what would happen if Haaland wore the armband.
“If Erling is the captain, f****** hell, we have a problem, can you imagine?” Maresca said, according to ESPN's report on his comments.
Maresca said City have three or four potential captains under consideration. Rodri is among them, although the midfielder is recovering from back surgery and his future has also been the subject of transfer speculation.
Mubama leaves City for Southampton
Elsewhere, Divin Mubama has joined Southampton on a season-long loan from Manchester City.
The 21-year-old spent last season at Stoke City, making 26 Championship appearances and scoring five goals before an injury ended his campaign early. Manchester City confirmed his move to Southampton on Tuesday.
Mubama impressed during City's preseason tour in Asia and will now continue his development with Southampton.
The England Under-21 striker said he is confident in his ability and believes Southampton's style of play will suit him.
“I believe in myself, 100%,” Mubama said. “With the way this team plays, when you've got players around you that have that much quality, you will be served.”
His immediate target is straightforward: score goals.
“I've just come back from a preseason where I've scored goals. I've been playing, I feel really fresh, I feel sharp, so I'm just really excited to get going,” he said.