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Ruben Dias is the leading contender to become Manchester City’s next captain, with Erling Haaland’s remarkable goalscoring record emerging as an unlikely reason behind that view.

New head coach Enzo Maresca has not yet named his new skipper after Bernardo Silva departed to join Real Madrid, but at present only defender Dias and striker Haaland remain in the running from the previous leadership group.

However, Maresca prefers to call his captain over to the touchline to relay tactical instructions after his team score, and that works against Haaland, who netted 38 goals last season and has scored 162 in four years with City.

That appears to leave Dias in line to lead the side, with Maresca saying: “Because if he scores he can’t celebrate, yes.

“Ruben has shown during his time at this club how he is as a player, in terms of leadership. It’s important for the captain and the leader to know that the reason they are captain is because I expect more from them. It’s not because I give them more freedom or advantage. It’s the opposite, the leadership group and captains have to show more and give more than the others.”

Spain’s World Cup-winning captain Rodri is also at City and was one of the four senior players in Pep Guardiola’s squad last season.

But Barcelona have submitted two offers for the midfielder, and Maresca appeared to suggest he could leave when he said he would add two more players alongside Dias and Haaland to his leadership group.

“At the moment, Ruben and Erling [are the only two],” Maresca added. “But I want to wait until the end of the window and then pick two more.”

Possible options include Phil Foden, now City’s longest-serving first-team player, Gianluigi Donnarumma, who captains Italy, Marc Guehi, who led Crystal Palace when they won the FA Cup, and the experienced Mateo Kovacic.

Maresca will take charge of his first competitive match as City manager on Sunday when his side meet Arsenal in the Community Shield.

Elliot Anderson could make his debut following his record £116m transfer from Nottingham Forest, and it was significant that Maresca described the England international as a “holding midfielder”.

With Rodri potentially on his way out of the Etihad Stadium, Maresca indicated that Anderson could be a direct option to fill his position in front of the back line.

“He's a holding midfielder,” the Italian said. “He can also be an attacking midfielder. The good thing about Elliot first of all is that he is young so you can work with him and help him to improve as a [No] 6 or an 8 arriving in the box. At Forest he was playing next to [Ibrahim] Sangare and with England he was playing next to [Declan] Rice, so two physical players next to him. But I also think that in some games he doesn't need a physical player next to him. It depends a little bit on the game plan and the other team.”