Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has emerged as the leading candidate to take over the captain’s armband from Marc-André ter Stegen, according to The TouchlineX via @fansjavimiguel.
This development follows recent reports that the Netherlands international was among the four shortlisted contenders for the captaincy role at the Catalan club.
Ter Stegen, who previously held the captaincy, is no longer the skipper of FC Barcelona. It was confirmed on Wednesday that the LaLiga champions have officially stripped the German goalkeeper of the armband ahead of the new season.
Last week, there were already indications that the club was considering a change in leadership, especially after Ter Stegen was excluded from the squad that traveled to Asia for Barcelona’s pre-season tour.
The decision came after Ter Stegen opted to undergo surgery for a persistent back issue, a procedure that will sideline him for approximately three months, ruling him out of several early fixtures under manager Hansi Flick.
With his absence, de Jong has now taken center stage in discussions about new leadership, strengthening his position as the frontrunner to captain the Blaugrana into the 2025/2026 season.
