PEP GUARDIOLA aimed a dig at Kyle Walker after revealing his four-man captaincy group.
The Manchester City boss confirmed his new set of skippers for the 2025-26 season.
It comes after the shambles last year which saw the players pick Kyle Walker – only for the full-back to quit the club midway through the season to join AC Milan on loan.
Guardiola admitted he was not pleased with how the situation unfolded.
So this time around, he has taken matters into his own hands and appointed his captains – rather than let the squad choose.
With Walker’s set to leave and part-time captain Kevin De Bruyne released, Guardiola has opted for Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Ruben Dias and Erling Haaland as his leadership quartet.
Guardiola explained: “I’m the manager. This season, for the first time in my career, I decided it would be my captain.
“I didn’t like what happened last season and I decided this season who will represent the team.
“Sometimes I want to be the boss, and this season I decided to do it, so I chose the four captains and at the end of the Club World Cup, maybe we will choose one or two more.”
Pressed on Haaland’s promotion aged just 24, Guaridola added: “He’s so young, right, but he has to start to learn what it means to be a captain, because he will be here, hopefully, for many, many years, and that’s why, sooner or later, he will take that position as the first one.
“I think when you have Bernardo, you have Ruben, and you have Rodri, plus Gundogan, they have been unbelievable captains for us, he will learn.
“He’s incredibly respected, he’s an important figure for us.
“Thinking about the future of this club, he has to start to learn what does it mean to be a captain.”
Haaland could take the armband during the Club World Cup, with City beginning their campaign against Wydad on Wednesday.
But one man who won’t be involved is Jack Grealish.
The £100m record signing was left out of the squad for the United States with his City future in doubt.
Guardiola revealed it was decided it was best that Grealish “didn’t come here” as he looks to resolve his future – and gave the playmaker advice on how to reignite his stagnating career.
SunSport revealed Napoli have joined Newcastle, Bayer Leverkusen and Everton in the race for Grealish’s signature.
Should he end up at Everton, he may well be reunited with Walker.
SunSport also told how the right-back has agreed a one-year deal at the Hill Dickson Stadium – after Milan opting against making his loan switch permanent.
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