Enzo Maresca has offered a strong hint that Ruben Dias is best placed to become Manchester City's new captain, with the Italian coach explaining that Erling Haaland's prolific goalscoring effectively rules him out of the role under his managerial approach.
The leadership vacancy emerged after Bernardo Silva's departure to Real Madrid left City without a clear successor from their previous group of senior players. Maresca has yet to formally name a new captain, but with Rodri's future at the club uncertain amid interest from Barcelona, only Dias and Haaland currently remain from that former leadership circle.
According to Maresca, his habit of calling the captain to the touchline to discuss tactical adjustments immediately after his team scores works against Haaland, who was City's top scorer last season with 38 goals and has amassed 162 in four years at the Etihad. A player celebrating a goal cannot simultaneously be pulled aside for instructions, which tilts the balance firmly toward Dias.
"Because if he scores he can't celebrate, yes," Maresca said, explaining the logic behind favoring a defender for the armband. He went on to praise the Portuguese centre-back's track record at the club. "Ruben has shown during his time at this club how he is as a player, in terms of leadership," Maresca said. "It's important for the captain and the leader to know that the reason they are captain is because I expect more from them. It's not because I give them more freedom or advantage. It's the opposite, the leadership group and captains have to show more and give more than the others."
Rodri, part of Pep Guardiola's senior leadership quartet last season and Spain's World Cup-winning captain, remains at City for now despite Barcelona's two bids for his signature. Maresca's comments suggested he is bracing for the midfielder's potential exit, revealing plans to expand his leadership group beyond just Dias and Haaland once the transfer window closes.
"At the moment, Ruben and Erling [are the only two]," Maresca said. "But I want to wait until the end of the window and then pick two more."
Several names have emerged as possible additions to that inner circle. Phil Foden, now City's longest-tenured first-team player, is among the contenders, along with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who already captains the Italian national team. Marc Guehi, who led Crystal Palace to FA Cup glory as skipper, and the experienced Mateo Kovacic have also been mentioned as candidates.
Maresca is set to take charge of his first competitive fixture as City manager this Sunday when the club faces Arsenal in the Community Shield. The match could also mark the debut of Elliot Anderson, who joined from Nottingham Forest in a club-record £116 million transfer.
Notably, Maresca described the England international as a holding midfielder, fueling speculation that Anderson could step into Rodri's role at the base of midfield should the Spaniard depart for Barcelona. "He's a holding midfielder," Maresca explained. "He can also be an attacking midfielder. The good thing about Elliot first of all is that he is young so you can work with him and help him to improve as a [No] 6 or an 8 arriving in the box."
The manager noted that Anderson has previously operated alongside physically imposing partners at both club and international level, including Ibrahim Sangare at Forest and Declan Rice with England, but suggested he could adapt his system depending on the opposition. "At Forest he was playing next to Sangare and with England he was playing next to Rice, so two physical players next to him," Maresca said. "But I also think that in some games he doesn't need a physical player next to him. It depends a little bit on the game plan and the other team."
Based on reporting from The Independent.