Who will be next Barcelona captain after Ronald Araujo & Marc-Andre ter Stegen exits?
(Courtesy : LaLiga)
Both Ronald Araujo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen have departed on loan deals.
Barcelona have a big decision to make ahead of the La Liga 2026/27 season, which starts on August 15. The Catalan club needs to decide on their new captains for the upcoming season, following the departures of Ronald Araujo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Ter Stegen, who was Barcelona’s first captain after joining from Borussia Monchengladbach, departed on loan to Ajax. Second captain Ronald Araujo, who became the team skipper following Ter Stegen’s loan move to Girona last season, is also set to complete a loan switch to Liverpool.
With both players having now left Camp Nou, Hansi Flick will have to decide which players will wear the captain’s armband for the upcoming season.
Also Read: Explained: Why was Barcelona’s pre-season game in Morocco cancelled?
Frenkie de Jong leads captaincy race
Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who was the team’s third captain last season, is the next in line to become the team’s captain this season. According to Mundo Deportivo, Flick has earmarked the former Ajax man as the leading candidate to become the next Barcelona permanent captain.
However, De Jong’s injury is a problem, as it will keep him sidelined for the next several months. As a result, the German manager will have to decide who will take over the captain’s armband at the start of the season.
According to media reports, Raphinha is likely to become the team’s stand-in skipper. The Brazilian winger has improved tremendously in the last two seasons, becoming one of the team’s best players. Another key player who will likely become one of the team’s three captains is midfielder Pedri.
The Catalan club need to decide on a five-player captaincy group before the start of the season. With De Jong, Raphinha, and Pedri likely to become the three captains, the two other spots will likely be taken by Eric Garcia and Gavi.
The MD report said that Garcia has emerged as a strong contender to become a leader in the team due to his experience at the highest level as well as his connection with the club’s younger players.
Gavi, who has become a key player in the middle of the park at the age of 22, is also a prospect who can become a future captain for Barcelona.
Who will be the next Barcelona captain?
With Ronald Araujo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen both leaving on loan, Frenkie de Jong is the leading candidate to become the permanent captain.
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Sushruta has spent over two years covering football, with a particular focus on Indian and international competitions. Alongside football, he has reported on a variety of sports, bringing curiosity and perspective to every story. When he’s not following the action, he can usually be found binge-watching movies or getting lost in a good book.