Mikel Arteta may be spoiled for choice when it comes to appointing the next Arsenal captain, as several other contenders have emerged to challenge Kieran Tierney and Martin Odegaard for the honor.
Following the decision to remove Pierre-Emerick Obameyang’s ribbon last December as punishment for another disciplinary problem, the artillery manager entrusted Alexander Lacazette to captain the country until the end of the 2021/22 season, although this was always expected to be a short-term solution.
And with confirmation that the Frenchman is leaving Arsenal at the end of the month, Arteta will not only have to recruit a striker as a substitute – amid interest in Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus – but will also have to point out Lacazette’s successor in terms of captaincy. season 2022/23.
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Now the leading candidate to take over from Lacazette seems to be Tierney, who has been promoted to deputy captain, with Arteta already hinting that the Scottish international is next in line. However, the alarming record of left-back injuries raises concerns about whether he will be the perfect choice.
As Tierney missed the last two months of the season, having just disappeared after knee surgery, he didn’t get a chance to captain the country when Lacazette lost his place on the team, initially after a positive test for Covid-19 and then due to the impressive form of Eddie Nketia.
As a result, Odegaard – who is also captain of the Norwegian national team – has jumped over the country in the last eight games of the season – including against Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur – so he is certainly in the framework of getting the role of permanent basis.
It remains to be seen which route Arteta will take, but it will not be a surprise if Tierney and Odegaard are chosen as Arsenal’s next captain and vice-captain respectively – there is even a possibility that the order of roles will change depending on how last season ended.
However, the Spaniard can still change his mind, as there are several players on the first team ready to challenge the aforementioned duo, including Gabriel Magalhaes, Benjamin White and Albert Sambi Lokonga, who have focused on great things from Lacazette. .
“There are some future captains,” he told Arsenal.com. “Gabriel, the great Gabby, has a presence, a leadership behind him. I think that when he speaks English better, it will help a lot. Ben White, too, he may be quieter, but the way he plays, he can to be a good leader and perhaps with an advantage can accumulate.
“Sambi Lokonga, but he’s been captain in the past, so it’s not hard to say he can be a good captain. Kieran, too, because I think he’s been captain of the national team several times in the past. saw some future captains or leaders. “
Alexander Lacazette’s frieze and captain’s armband in Arsenal’s locker room. (Image: Stuart McFarlane / Arsenal via Getty Images)
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, meanwhile, recently dropped his name in the ring after listing credentials that would make him Lakazet’s best takeover, and some Arsenal fans believe “natural leader” William Saliba should be a contender after the captain of France U21 earlier in the season.
Whether one of the five potential contenders for 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 pitch with or without an armband next season is Granit Jaka, who was stripped. from captaincy under former head coach Unai Emery in 2019
“Obviously I am no longer the captain of Arsenal. But I can promise you that I will still act as captain, even without the armband, “he said when speaking exclusively to The Players’ Tribune. “It’s possible. I get a lot of respect from my teammates and our team and I’m very grateful for that. I will always help the young boys and take responsibility for our performances.”
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