{"id":43357,"date":"2026-02-16T21:47:20","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T02:47:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/02\/16\/saka-expected-to-miss-out-on-arsenal-captaincy\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T21:47:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T02:47:20","slug":"saka-expected-to-miss-out-on-arsenal-captaincy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/02\/16\/saka-expected-to-miss-out-on-arsenal-captaincy\/","title":{"rendered":"Saka expected to miss out on Arsenal captaincy"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/02\/16\/saka-expected-to-miss-out-on-arsenal-captaincy\/#Declan_Rice_likely_to_become_Arsenals_new_captain\" >Declan Rice likely to become Arsenal&#8217;s new captain<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/02\/16\/saka-expected-to-miss-out-on-arsenal-captaincy\/#Saka_could_be_overlooked_as_captain\" >Saka could be overlooked as captain<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/02\/16\/saka-expected-to-miss-out-on-arsenal-captaincy\/#Odegaard_has_been_linked_with_summer_exit\" >Odegaard has been linked with summer exit<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<!-- Article Start --><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"0\"><strong>Arsenal are reportedly in talks with club captain Martin Odegaard about his long-term future, and there are growing signs that the Norwegian midfielder could leave the Emirates to explore new opportunities this summer.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"0\">According to a prominent X source, the Gunners have already named their next leader, with Declan Rice being touted as the most likely successor to take over the armband next season.<\/p>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Declan_Rice_likely_to_become_Arsenals_new_captain\"><\/span>Declan Rice likely to become Arsenal&#8217;s new captain<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 612px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Photo by Stuart McFarlane\/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>ITK said on social media that Arsenal have begun negotiations over Odegaard&#8217;s future and that the midfielder is keen to explore new opportunities in the summer.<\/p>\n<p>With Odegaard&#8217;s future at the club uncertain, former West Ham captain Rice is said to be the one to wear the armband if the Norwegian star leaves.<\/p>\n<p>The tweet read: &#8220;Arsenal are in talks with captain Martin Odegaard about his role at the club. He could leave to pursue new opportunities. Declan Rice is likely to become Arsenal&#8217;s new captain next season.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The news comes as a significant development in Arsenal&#8217;s dressing room hierarchy.<\/p>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"8\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Saka_could_be_overlooked_as_captain\"><\/span>Saka could be overlooked as captain<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Bukayo Saka is now the official vice-captain and has worn the armband several times this season, showing his growing maturity.<\/p>\n<p>Rice, on the other hand, is a key member of the &#8220;Leadership Group&#8221; but is currently ranked second to Saka in the official rankings.<\/p>\n<p>However, if insider reports are true, it appears Arteta may prefer Rice&#8217;s established experience as club captain over Saka.<\/p>\n<p>Rice, who famously captained the Hammers to European Conference League glory before moving to north London for \u00a3105m, quickly became a key part of Mikel Arteta&#8217;s project.<\/p>\n<p>Despite Saka&#8217;s deep links with the club&#8217;s academy, his vocal leadership and commanding presence in the middle of the park have reportedly convinced Arsenal&#8217;s higher-ups that he is the man to lead the club into its next era.<\/p>\n<p>For Saka, losing out on the permanent captaincy would be a rare setback in a career that has seen him become the face of the modern Arsenal brand.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Odegaard_has_been_linked_with_summer_exit\"><\/span>Odegaard has been linked with summer exit<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 612px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.gettyimages.com\/id\/2260926266\/photo\/brentford-england-arsenals-martin-odegaard-during-the-premier-league-match-between-brentford.jpg?s=612x612&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=iyRLDkI1NW_s9-6ZbrDg3_HYdHN0fz4NNjXqoAtWgjg=\" alt=\"Arsenal's Martin Odegaard during the Premier League match between Brentford and Arsenal at the G-Tech Community Stadium in Brentford on February 12, 2026.\" width=\"612\" height=\"400\" style=\"aspect-ratio:612\/400;max-width:612px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Photo by Rob Newell \u2013 CameraSport, Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The impetus for this leadership change is the growing uncertainty surrounding Martin Odegaard.<\/p>\n<p>Odegaard has been a key figure in the team since joining from Real Madrid, but rumors suggest he is ready for a new challenge.<\/p>\n<p>Arsenal have reportedly set a hefty \u00a380 million price tag for Odegaard, who is being targeted by several clubs including Inter Milan and Bayern Munich.<\/p>\n<p>Barcelona have also previously expressed an interest in signing the former Madrid player.<\/p>\n<p>If the captain were to leave, it would leave a huge void in both creativity and leadership, which Arteta is keen to fill as soon as possible.<\/p>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"1\"\/><!-- Article End -->\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Arsenal are reportedly in talks with club captain Martin Odegaard about his long-term future, and there are growing signs that the Norwegian midfielder could leave the Emirates to explore new opportunities this summer. According to a prominent X source, the Gunners have already named their next leader, with Declan Rice being touted as the most [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":43358,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[40],"class_list":{"0":"post-43357","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football","8":"tag-football"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43357","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43357"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43357\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43358"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43357"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43357"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43357"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}