Enzo Maresca delays Manchester City captaincy decision as squad remains unsettled

• Enzo Maresca will wait until the end of the transfer window before finalising Manchester City’s leadership group.
• Rúben Dias and Erling Haaland are currently in line to remain part of the captaincy group, while Rodri’s future at the club remains uncertain.
• Maresca has indicated teenage winger Ryan McAidoo is set to remain with City’s first team this season after impressing during preseason.

Enzo Maresca will wait until the end of the transfer window before finalising Manchester City’s leadership group as uncertainty continues over the make-up of his squad.

Last season’s captain Bernardo Silva has already left the club, while Rodri could follow with Barcelona considering another offer for the Spain international.

That would leave Rúben Dias and Erling Haaland as the only remaining members of City’s previous leadership group.

Maresca did not mention Rodri when discussing his plans for the captaincy and confirmed he will wait before selecting two additional members.

“At the moment it is Rúben and Erling, and I want to wait until the end of the transfer window and pick two more,” Maresca said.

Dias appears to be the leading candidate to take the armband on a permanent basis, having been part of City’s leadership group since 2021.

Maresca praised the Portugal defender’s leadership qualities and said captains would be expected to take on greater responsibility rather than receive additional freedom.

“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.”

Maresca has also cast doubt on Haaland’s suitability for the captaincy, given the striker’s involvement in the team’s tactical discussions during goal celebrations.

Should Rodri leave City, the club could revisit their interest in Enzo Fernández despite Chelsea’s self-imposed deadline for bids passing on Friday.

Fernández is part of the leadership group at Chelsea and remains under contract at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca also has several internal alternatives to strengthen City’s leadership group, including former Crystal Palace captain Marc Guéhi, Josko Gvardiol and Phil Foden.

Foden has previously expressed an interest in taking on greater responsibility within the squad.

Away from the captaincy, Maresca has indicated that teenage winger Ryan McAidoo is likely to remain with Manchester City this season after impressing during preseason.

The 18-year-old was one of Maresca’s “real surprises” during the club’s preparations and earned particular praise following City’s friendly against Inter Milan.

Maresca described McAidoo as “the kind of winger I love” and said City must find the right pathway for his development.

The decision comes amid continued speculation linking fellow winger Savinho with a move to Tottenham.

McAidoo is now expected to remain in Manchester and continue training with the first team.

“For him the best thing is to stay with us, to learn and be around the first team every day,” Maresca said.

“Try to be intelligent, try to learn from Antoine [Semenyo] and Jérémy [Doku]. When I say try to learn, it’s not in terms of how to dribble, it’s about working hard because it can be difficult with young players, they can stop working because they feel they are ready when they are not.”

Maresca’s decision on the leadership group will therefore depend partly on how City’s squad develops before the transfer window closes, while McAidoo’s expected first-team involvement provides another indication of the club’s plans for its younger players.