Pep Guardiola says that he will allow Manchester City’s players to choose their next captain

Pep Guardiola will let his players decide who should be Manchester City’s next captain.

The Premier League champions need a new on-field leader following the retirement of the long-serving Vincent Kompany at the end of last season.

David Silva took the armband for Wednesday’s pre-season game against West Ham in China but a decision on a permanent skipper will not be made until all the squad return from their summer breaks.

City manager Guardiola said: “They will choose the captain when we are all together. After they are all back (they are) going to make a meeting and decide who is going to be captain.”

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Playmaker Kevin De Bruyne says he would happily take on the role if he was offered it.

The 28-year-old said: “About the captaincy, I don’t know. If the team wants me to be captain, or the club does, I would gladly accept it but I think that’s something everybody needs to talk about as a team, as a club.

“This will be talked about when everyone comes back. There are a lot of players missing from the Copa America and Riyad (Mahrez) is still at the African Cup of Nations.

“We will need to do that together because it is a really important job, not only on the pitch but off the pitch.”