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#1 Antonio Valencia
Jose Mourinho's trusted lieutenant is considered the favourite to inherit the armband. He has captained the side for the majority of the ongoing season, in the absence of Carrick. He also serves as captain for the Ecuadorian national team. Next season, he will be the longest-serving player at the club, almost 10 seasons since his transfer from Wigan Athletic.
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The 32-year-old Ecuadorian has been a consistent performer for the past few seasons. He initially joined the club as a winger and won the club Players' player of the year award at the end of the 2011/12 season.
He has undergone the transition from tricky winger to one of the best right-backs in the world and once again won the Players' player of the year award in 2016/17.
Valencia is not all that vocal but Mourinho sees him as a role model who "leads" through his performances, consistently putting in hard work. He was lauded by his coach for playing through pain and injury at times. He was recently described by his manager as "the best right back I can have".
His high work rate and vast experience make him the obvious favourite.
