This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it.
Kevin De Bruyne and Ruben Dias
Kevin De Bruyne hands Ruben Dias the captain's armband last season
Ruben Dias was added to Manchester City's leadership group just one year after his arrival at the Etihad and captained the club for the first time a few weeks later, in a 6-3 win against RB Leipzig in the Champions League.
This season, he will be part of that leadership group again, for the fifth year running, but again, his time as captain on the field might be sporadic. is the latest to be named club skipper, with Pep Guardiola taking charge of leadership decisions this season.
Dias' time must surely be coming, however. The news that want to extend his contract, which expires in two years, signals that his long-term future is in Manchester. When Silva doesn't start, it is likely to be his Portuguese teammate who leads the team out.
Nobody doubts the 28-year-old centre-back's leadership credentials, and he is more of a guaranteed starter than Silva. He captained youth teams at Benfica and Portugal at age-group levels, and if anything, it is a surprise he has reached this stage in his career without being named a club captain.
But competition for that role at City is fierce, and in recent years, captains have tended to do the job towards the end of their time at the club.
Since Vincent Kompany's eight-year stint as skipper came to an end in 2019, there have been a series of relatively short-term appointments. David Silva did it for one season, and then Fernandinho another two before they left the club.
Ilkay Gundogan then did one year before he moved to Barcelona. Kyle Walker was his replacement but he lasted 18 months before an acrimonious departure to AC Milan. Kevin De Bruyne stepped into the breach but did just half a season before his own emotional farewell last summer.
Kevin de Bruyne is one of - if not the - greatest players to play for Manchester City.
He leaves the club having won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups and a memorable Champions League victory!
undefined
To mark his amazing time at the Etihad Stadium, this special edition has been produced - KDB The King - to celebrate Kev's career with the Blues. We look back at his 10 best games in Blue, celebrate his title wins and hear from the City boss and a host of team-mates and football elite who give their views on what makes him so special.
Now the job falls to Silva, but he is out of contract at the end of the season and his comments during the Club World Cup gave the impression this might be his final season at the club, at which point City will be looking for a seventh captain in nine seasons.
If that is the case, then must surely be the strong favourite. This term, he makes up a five-man leadership group with Silva, Rodri and Erling Haaland. Adding Haaland to the group is an attempt to develop his leadership qualities and Rodri could easily be captaincy material, but Dias is a natural fit.
He is a leader in the mould of Kompany and has long felt like a captain-in-waiting in blue. He was skipper from the start on 13 occasions last season and will surely add to that tally this term, with Silva part of a midfield that features plenty of competition.
It will be interesting to see who Guardiola turns to when he doesn't start his club captain. Rodri and Haaland will have their own merits, but if there is any thought being given to a succession plan, then Dias should be the man. A new contract for the next captain would make a lot of sense.
Here at the Manchester Evening News, we’re dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester City coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest City news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.
And finally, if you’d rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Talking City podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including and , and you can also watch along on .