Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has confirmed that Antonio Valencia should become the permanent captain for the club, now that Michael Carrick has retired from the game. The Ecuador international was a regular standing captain for United last season, as Carrick could not make the field due to health and fitness concerns.
Speaking in a news conference, Mourinho said that Valencia should keep the captain’s armband for the upcoming campaign but the baton could be handed to the likes of Chris Smalling and Ander Herrera, should the right-back be rested, he said: “The captain was Valencia last season, I think he’s going to be the captain and when he doesn’t play we have to make decisions. It depends on who is on the pitch, if Chris Smalling is, if Ashley Young is, if Ander Herrera is or Juan Mata is. But I never care much about the captaincy, I care more about the life in the dressing room and the leaders. “The armband means what it means.”
