Mikel Arteta could have many options when it comes to appointing the next Arsenal captain, as a few more contenders have emerged to challenge Kieran Tierney and Martin Odegaard for the honor.
Following the decision to remove Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s bracelet last December as a punishment for another disciplinary issue, the Gunners coach entrusted Alexandre Lacazette with the team’s skipper for the remainder of the 2021/22 season. although it was always expected to be so. a short-term solution.
And with the confirmation that the Frenchman will leave Arsenal at the end of the month, not only will Arteta have to bring in a striker as a substitute – amidst interest in Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus – but he will also have to name his successor. Lacazette in terms of captaincy for the 2022/23 season.
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Now the main candidate to take over from Lacazette appears to be Tierney who has been promoted to vice-captain, with Arteta already hinting that the Scottish international is next. However, the worrying history of injuries on the left side raises concerns about whether it would be the ideal option.
As Tierney missed the last two months of the season after undergoing knee surgery, he did not have a chance to captain the team when Lacazette initially lost his place on the team. after giving positive for Covid-19 and then due to the impressive form of Eddie Nketiah.
As a result, Odegaard – who is also the captain of the Norwegian national team – has been the team’s captain for the last eight games of the season – including against players such as Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. -, so it is certainly in the framework of getting the role permanently.
It remains to be seen which route Arteta decides to follow, but it would come as no surprise that Tierney and Odegaard would be named the next Arsenal captain and vice-captain respectively; there is even a possibility that the order of the roles will change depending on how. last season ended.
However, the Spaniard could still change his mind, as there are a few players in the first team set up ready to challenge the aforementioned duo, such as Gabriel Magalhaes, Benjamin White and Albert Sambi Lokonga. , who have been predisposed to great things. Lacazette.
“There are some future captains,” he told Arsenal.com. “Gabriel, the great Gabi, has a presence, a leadership behind him. I think that when he speaks more fluently with English, he will help a lot. Ben White, too. and perhaps with advantage it can increase.
“Sambi Lokonga, but he has been a captain in the past, so it’s not hard to say he can be a good captain. Kieran also because I think he has also been a captain in the national team a few times in the past. captains or leaders “.
Alexandre Lacazette’s captain’s armband in the Arsenal locker room. (Image: Stuart MacFarlane / Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale recently launched his name into the ring after listing credentials that would make him the best choice to take over from Lacazette, and some Arsenal fans think “natural leader” William Saliba should of being an aspirant after captaining the U21 of France at the beginning of the party. season.
Any of the five potential candidates to be named the next Arsenal captain is being seriously considered by Arteta is anyone’s guess, but one player who has promised to be the leader on the field with or without the bracelet next season is Granit Xhaka, who was stripped of the captaincy of former coach Unai Emery in 2019.
“Obviously, I’m not an Arsenal captain anymore. But I can promise you that I will continue to play as a captain, even without the bracelet,” he told The Players’ Tribune. “This is possible. I have a lot of respect for my teammates and our staff, and I am very grateful for that. I will always help young people and take responsibility for our actions.”
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