Manchester City head coach Enzo Maresca has indicated that Erling Haaland is unlikely to take over as captain, primarily because of how often he finds the net.
The new City boss has tended to utilise a tactic throughout his career of requiring his skipper to report to the touchline for tactical updates whenever a goal is scored.
Given how frequently the Norway striker scores, Maresca feels it would not be wise for him to fill the void created by Bernardo Silva’s departure at the end of last season.
Speaking to journalists during the squad’s pre-season tour of Asia, he said: “At Leicester and Chelsea, I had a rule that when we scored, the captain had to come to the bench for instructions and not celebrate.”
“But if he scores, then he can celebrate. If Erling is the captain, f****** hell – we have a problem, can you imagine?
“I think even if it is two or three minutes, there is always something to adjust. At the moment, we have three or four (captains) and we are missing one (Rodri is recovering from back surgery).
“In the case of Rodri (who has been linked with Barcelona), see what happens.”
Meanwhile, England Under-21 striker Divin Mubama has secured a loan move to Southampton, having spent last term at fellow Championship side Stoke, scoring five times across 28 outings.
The 21-year-old, who made a strong impression on City’s tour of Asia, told Saints’ website: “I believe in myself, 100 per cent. With the way this team plays, when you’ve got players around you that have that much quality, you will be served.
“It’s up to you whether you put the ball in the back of the net, and that’s what I’m here to do.
“I’ve just come back from a pre-season where I’ve scored goals. I’ve been playing, I feel really fresh, I feel sharp, so I’m just really excited to get going.”
City will be back in action on Sunday when they take on Premier League champions Arsenal in the Community Shield at Cardiff.
They will then begin their Premier League campaign at home to Bournemouth on 23 August.
