Juan Mata
From being the most likely candidate to depart from Old Trafford upon Mourinho’s arrival to becoming one of the most important players this season, the journey of Juan Mata has been incredible, to say the least.
The Portuguese sold Mata upon his return to Chelsea back in 2013 and the Spaniard has well and truly become a fan favourite at Old Trafford. There were struggles in the early stages, with David Moyes and then Louis Van Gaal struggling to find the best role for the former Valencia and Chelsea man. But Mata kept plugging away, scoring crucial goals at every opportunity he got, making telling contributions in whatever chances that came his way.
However, this season under Mourinho, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that Mata has been by far the most consistent performer for the Red Devils throughout the campaign. Everyone believed that his time at United was up when he was withdrawn in the Community Shield game against Leicester City, after coming on as a second-half substitute. But the Spaniard stuck to his guns and has had a huge impact having already scored 7 times and set up two more. With so much attacking talent available at United, he might not be a regular starter, but surely has stood up when needed and can be the outside contender for the United captaincy.
Why Not Chris Smalling
The current third-choice captain, Chris Smalling, has had to endure a difficult spell this term with some off colours displays. Injuries and the rise of Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo haven’t helped the former Fulham defender.
When Sir Alex Ferguson signed Smalling back in 2010, great things were expected from the Englishman. However, with Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand still going strong, he struggled to make a great impact. But it was under previous United manager, Louis Van Gaal, when Smalling completely bloomed and started putting solid performances one after another and was soon rewarded with the captaincy during Rooney and Carrick’s absence.
But his struggles in the ongoing season under Mourinho have hurt his chances badly. He looks off the pace, the tackles are not sticking and on plenty of occasions, he has looked complacent at the back, looking like a shadow of his past self. And with the emergence of Eric Bailly along with Jones and Rojo impressing heavily, his place in the first-team may not be a guarantee. Hence it would be safe to say that he should not be in the running for the captaincy.
Other Options
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba are currently the most influential players at the club, but it would not be the most prudent thing to burden Pogba with captaincy this early after his return, while Zlatan will hardly stay for another season at the most and may not feature as regularly as he has this season.
The Verdict
With Smalling’s performances on a downslide this season, he may not be the most popular choice for the captaincy. Juan Mata is no doubts a strong team player but does he possess the qualities necessary to lead a team? Can he take up the mantle of being a leader? Probably not. And while David De Gea is worthy of being the leader of this team, Antonio Valencia should be handed the captain’s armband, owing to his greater experience and seniority in the team and his strong presence on the field.
Who do you think should be the next United captain? Have your say below.