4 Manchester United players who deserve the captain's armband

With Manchester United deciding against renewing Antonio Valencia's contract, the club now apparently has the captain's position vacant.

The Ecuadorian footballer has now been at the Theatre of Dreams for almost a decade now, and has not only stuck with the club in their highs and lows, but also for the past few seasons, has emerged as a leader within the group.

Valencia is currently out with injury. As such, he is not part of Solskjaer's team which are trying to salvage their season and get into top-four.

For the past year, the United defender's career has been filled with various short term injuries. During this period of time, there have been many personalities in the United squad which have stood out due to their leadership skills. Let's look at the top four players who can lead the team as the new Manchester United captain.

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#4 David de Gea

de Gea has been great on and off the pitch

The Spanish goalkeeper has undoubtedly been the best United player in the last couple of years, playing exceptionally well under every manager United have appointed.

Every fortnight, United fans come out with the 'Dave saves' illustrations on social media, as the keeper amazes everyone on and off the pitch with his jaw-dropping reaction saves in front of the goal. Though de Gea has never been seen as the perfect captaincy material during his time with Manchester United, it will be interesting to see whether he can pull off this responsibility.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has reportedly said that the keeper is ready to commit his future to the club. However, with such a great ability, there are speculations about whether he will change club during every transfer window.

By appointing him as the new club captain, the Spaniard's interests in staying in the club are just likely to increase and he can continue with his amazing performances.

#3 Luke Shaw

Luke Shaw has been exceptional this season

Almost the majority of the squad has gone on to suggest that Luke Shaw will become Manchester United's player of the season this year, and this indicates the capabilities of the English left back, even after returning from a career-ending injury a couple of seasons ago.

The full-back has played around 2000 minutes for the club this season and has made 61 clearances, 18 interceptions and a tackle success rate of 52%.

Shaw has always been seen as a mature player on the pitch even after signing at such a young age from Southampton. His command over the left flank, both during attacks and during defence, is noteworthy.

United has often found success in appointing captains who are defenders such as the departing Antonio Valencia and former player Nemanja Vidic. This season, Shaw is one of those few players who had the trust of both Mourinho and Soskjaer, which shows that he is a trustworthy and reliable player.

Back in 2018, the defender signed a new contract which means he is set to stay at Old Trafford all the way until 2023. With a long future ahead, he is one of the candidates who can potentially be the next captain.

#2 Ander Herrera

Herrera is certainly a player that managers can count on

It is true that Ander Herrera has not been the most consistent performers at Manchester United since his arrival five years ago, but definitely, he is one of the players that a manager can count on for an important match because of his technical abilities.

The United midfielder has an astonishing 88% pass accuracy rate and a dribble success rate of 71% this season, which is amongst the best in the squad. His recent on-pitch behaviour in the loss to PSG and draw against Liverpool, suggested that he can be relied upon to lift the morale of the squad in tough times. That surely is one of the roles a captain should always play properly.

Herrera has been the fans' favourite to be named the captain. According to Squawka, the Spaniard has been an important player for the club almost every season and fans are appreciative of his efforts. With such a strong fan-base behind him, it could be a wise decision to name the 29-year-old the captain.

#1 Paul Pogba

The most evident and popular choice to replace Valencia as the club captain is Paul Pogba. The World Cup winner was beginning to secure his captaincy until his training ground bust-up with former manager Jose Mourinho.

But now Mourinho's gone and Pogba has had a sort of revival under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. His recent performances also do not suggest that the Frenchman's form will deteriorate anytime soon.

Being a box to box midfielder, Pogba can control the game on both ends of the pitch, which makes him the best choice for the captaincy role. On multiple occasions this season, Pogba has shown his capability of thriving as a captain at the club.

A big factor which may affect Pogba's chances for captaincy is the transfer rumours lurking around the club, suggesting that he could move away to either Barcelona or Juventus. But under Solskjaer, the rumours have now started to die down as the French midfielder starts to gain his world-class form yet again.

It is high time that fans see a young, capable and dominating personality as a captain at the Old Trafford.

Edited by Jong Ching Yee