Nigel Winterburn: Strong leadership skills needed from next Arsenal captain

In light of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s decision to take the captaincy away from striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, former Gunners left-back Nigel Winterburn spoke to Freesupertips.co.uk about whether it was the right decision and who might be the ideal candidates to take over the armband at the Emirates.

"I'm not surprised Aubameyang was stripped of the captaincy because it was quite clear from Mikel Arteta's press conference before and after the Southampton game," the former full-back said.

"He looked as if he was pretty livid, he made the statement and didn't really want to discuss it further.

"There was talk about him returning late after picking up his mum but it's happened with him before.

"It sounds to me that Arteta is quite clear on the guidelines for the players and there are no excuses.

"There are boundaries that are acceptable and if you move outside those then you're putting the manager under pressure to leave you out of the squad.

"And in Aubameyang's case, this is the second or third time it's happened, so because it's happened again I think he's left Arteta in a very difficult situation."

However, Winterburn believes there are many players at the club who could be candidates to take the armband, starting with Sunday's Premier League game at Leeds.

He said: "The manager has made the decision that it's time to find another captain for Arsenal and hopefully we'll get one who can keep it for a long time because it seems to have been switching around lately.

"You want someone in there who's going to be a regular, stays fit and is in good form. It also needs to be someone who can command respect in the dressing room.

"I would think that Kieran Tierney and Gabriel would be put forward. Then there's Ben White and I've heard mention of goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

"But maybe Bukayo Saka could also be a good shout.

"He's been the one standout player recently when Arsenal have been trying to progress and close the gap on the top four.

"But I think what it will ultimately come down to is Arteta wanting someone who is vocal and leads by example.

"They will have to give 100 per cent commitment every single game - you don't necessarily need to be more or less vocal in a game to be a strong leader.

"Discipline is key to that decision, so I would suggest it's wide open and there isn't one nailed-on person who will get it.

"Whoever you give the captaincy to, you have to make sure that it doesn't affect their performances.

"To be captain of your club is not something you want to worry about. It's something to want to accept, embrace and hopefully keep you at the standards of what the manager expects."

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