Who best suits the Arsenal captaincy role after Aubameyang was stripped of the title?

The infamous captain armband at Arsenal Football Club. A role the club has struggled to fill adequately for many years and that up till today continues to plague them.

The latest to fall victim to the captaincy curse is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was stripped of the title by manager Mikel Arteta on Tuesday ahead of their West Ham clash.

Matthew Bottomley of TTF reported the news on Tuesday, that the Arsenal boss deprived him of the captaincy due to him missing his call-up time — a time agreed upon between him and the club for him to return in time for training on last week Friday.

This subsequently led to him being left out of the matchday squad for the Southampton victory.

"It is rumoured the Gabon international returned home late from a trip abroad, and this began what has been a tumulus two weeks for the 32-year-old, resulting in losing the armband.Arsenal boss Arteta stated the decision to remove Aubameyang as captain was a difficult one, but one he felt he had to make."

Now the big question is who takes the armband from Aubameyang at Arsenal?

There are not many players who can play the role at the North London club. Long gone are the days where the Gunners were spoilt with players of the same mentality that was evident in Patrick Vieira, Sol Campbell, and Martin Keown.

So do they look for these attributes in the next captain or consider some other type of criteria?

What do they need to consider when selecting the next player to lead the team on the pitch from now and for the foreseeable future?

So far multiple reports have narrowed it down to three or four candidates who they believe are the favourites to land the job that has claimed many scalps.

Here at The Top Flight, I have picked who I think are favourites to land the job: Aaron Ramsdale, Alexandre Lacazette, Kieran Tierney, Granit Xhaka, and Emile Smith Rowe.

All of these players mentioned are not your typical brand for captain material and are in very much contrasting situations from each other at the club. This does display how difficult it is for Arteta to select one from the bunch.

Let’s rate the odds of each player’s chance of becoming Arsenal’s captain out of 10

The rating will work: the higher the rating, the better the chance he has of becoming the new team leader. The ranking will rank from 1-10, with 1 being the lowest score and 10 the highest score.

Aaron Ramsdale: 5

The only reason he would not be considered is that he has just joined from Sheffield United during the summer window but in all honesty, he has hands down, been the Gunners best player so far and does deserve his name being put on the list.

Do not see him as the captain now, but sometime in the future. If continues to put in the excellent performances he has since joining the Emirates club, he cannot be overlooked.

Alexandre Lacazette: 8

Yes, it’s mad that he gets a big fat 8. Well, even though he is destined for an exit next summer, he could be the best short-term option for Arteta to consider. He plays with his heart on his sleeve and has the respect of the rest of the team — the latter something the manager needs from his new club captain.

If he does a great job in the short stint, who knows… He could be in for a new contract at the club, as they will look to keep his experience and presence in the dressing room for a couple of more seasons to come.

Kieran Tierney: 9

My favourite pick for the role is Kieran Tierney. Another Gunner that plays and leaves everything on the pitch. He is the perfect mix of an original Gunner of the past (no-nonsense type of player) and the new Arsenal, trying to get the club back to its best.

The only downfall and why he gets a 9 and not the full 10; he is injury prone and could be absent far too often, leaving the responsibility of being captain on the vice captain’s shoulders, whomever that may be.

Granit Xhaka: 8

He could be the most likely old cap to get the job and be reinstated as the player’s spokesperson. He also could still be on his way out of the club, having almost left a couple of times in the past, which could influence the decision.

But again, a short-term option no doubt and a player that has captain at the highest level with his country, Switzerland, and has already dealt with the pressures of Gooners.

Emile Smith Rowe: 5

Like the earlier mentioned candidate, Aaron Ramsdale, Emile Smith Rowe is just a bit too young to take on the mammoth role left by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. One for the future? Yes, undoubtedly!

But why not now? So he can concentrate on his game that keeps evolving with each step taken onto the pitch in England’s top flight. Once he has mastered his craft, he should be another player that must be considered as a future long-term choice.