Jose Mourinho has revealed that Antonio Valencia will be Manchester United’s captain for the 2018-19 season. The Ecuador international will wear the armband for the upcoming season, replacing Michael Carrick following the midfielder’s retirement
Michael Carrick had been the club’s nominal captain last season, but played just five times in all competitions before retiring in May.With Carrick moving into a coaching role with the Red Devils, they had no designated captain for the new campaign, but Mourinho has provided clarity by naming the experienced Ecuador international as the new club captain.Valencia appeared in 31 Premier League games last season, but Mourinho hinted that he may not always wear the armband in 2018-19, with other players set to step into the role when the 32-year-old is absent.
Mourinho named four players likely to inherit the role if Valencia misses out, while also indicating that summer 2017 signing Nemanja Matic is also being considered but may have to wait until he spends more time at Old Trafford.
“Valencia will be the captain but when he doesn’t play, we have to make decisions – it depends who is on the pitch,” Mourinho told the club’s official website. “If [Chris] Smalling is, if Ashley Young is, if [Ander] Herrera is or if [Juan] Mata is, if they are on the pitch, they are an option. I think Matic has all the attributes to be Manchester United captain but of course he only arrived one year ago.But for me, I don’t care too much about the captaincy, I care more about the life in the dressing room.”
United opened their pre-season campaign with a 1-1 draw against Mexican side Club America, needing a Juan Mata goal to earn a draw at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona.The Red Devils next take to the field on July 22 with a friendly against San Jose Earthquakes. Mourinho has indicated that Alexis Sanchez may start as a striker in that game as United are currently short of options up front with many senior players excused from duty after their World Cup commitments.
Manchester United fans had demanded that Paul Pogba is made club captain next season after footage emerged of the midfielder delivering a rousing speech during France’s World Cup campaign. Michael Carrick’s departure at the end of last season means United are without a skipper and Jose Mourinho is yet to confirm who will take on the armband. Pogba has been handed the captaincy on a a handful of occasions but Metro.co.uk understands the Frenchman was not in the running for the armband at the end of last season. However, that may change once Mourinho sees the incredible team talk that Pogba gave to his team-mates before their World Cup last16 clash against Argentina.
‘The details boys. Fellas! We want warriors on the pitch today,’ said Pogba. ‘I don’t want to go home tonight. Me, this evening, I’m not going home. Tomorrow, we’re staying at the hotel. ‘We’re going to eat that f*****g sauteed pasta again. I don’t give a s**t, we’re not going home. We’re going to finish happy. I want us to have a party tonight. ‘I want everyone. Today, we run ourselves to death out on the pitch. No one lets anyone else down. No one drops off. On the pitch, we’re all together. Good guys and warriors. Soliders. We’re going to kill them today, these Argentines. Messi or no Messi, we don’t give a s**t’ ‘We’re coming to win the f*****g World Cup. We have to get through this to do that. Come on boys!’
Pogba has skippered United with great pride in the past and to give him the job could repair a sometimes fractured relationship with Mourinho.