Steven Gerrard has named John McGinn as his new Aston Villa captain. The Scotland midfielder will take the armband from centre-back Tyrone Mings when the new Premier League season gets under way.
Gerrard insists McGinn has proven himself a worthy skipper, both through impressive displays on the pitch and in his influence around the club. The Villa boss also announced Emi Martinez will take vice-captaincy duties while veteran Ashley Young is the new club captain.
Gerrard told the Aston Villa website: “John has demonstrated that he is ready to take on the captaincy through his performances on the pitch combined with his attitude and application in training. He is a popular member of the dressing room who sets high standards and expectations of himself. Emi is a respected senior member of the squad while Ashley Young’s experience speaks for itself and he is the perfect ambassador for the first team.
“Naturally, I have had to have a discussion with Tyrone Mings and have explained my reasons for making this decision. More importantly, I believe that not having the responsibility of the captaincy will allow Tyrone to focus more on his own game which can only benefit him and the team.”
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