Haaland’s goalscoring could cost him Man City captaincy — Maresca

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has suggested that Erling Haaland may not be considered for the club’s vacant captaincy, joking that the striker’s goalscoring celebrations could clash with his expectations of the skipper.

Maresca explained that during his previous spells at Leicester City and Chelsea, he required the captain to report to the technical area immediately after a goal so he could receive tactical instructions.

According to the manager, that arrangement would be difficult to maintain if Haaland were wearing the armband, given the Norway international’s prolific scoring record.

“If Erling is the captain, we have a problem,” Maresca said while speaking to journalists during City’s pre-season tour of Asia.

Haaland has scored 162 goals in 198 appearances for Manchester City and could have been considered for the leadership role following Bernardo Silva’s departure.

Maresca said the club currently has three or four potential candidates for the captaincy, but noted that one position remains to be filled.

He also mentioned Rodri, who is currently recovering from back surgery, as another leadership option, while acknowledging uncertainty over the midfielder’s future amid reports linking him with Barcelona.

Maresca said the club would assess the situation before deciding on its next captain.

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