Barcelona to name new captains after Ronald Araujo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen depart on loan

Barcelona must appoint a new captaincy group at Camp Nou after Ronald Araujo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen left the club on loan ahead of the La Liga 2026/27 season, which begins on August 15. Manager Hansi Flick is set to decide which players will wear the armband for the upcoming campaign.

Ter Stegen, who became Barcelona’s first captain after joining from Borussia Monchengladbach, has moved on loan to Ajax. Second captain Ronald Araujo, who took over the skipper’s role following Ter Stegen’s loan move to Girona last season, is set to complete a loan switch to Liverpool. Those departures have opened the vacancy for the club’s leadership group.

Frenkie de Jong, Barcelona’s third captain last season, is regarded as the next in line to assume permanent captaincy, with Mundo Deportivo reporting that Flick has identified the former Ajax midfielder as the leading candidate. De Jong’s status within the club’s hierarchy, established last year, positions him at the front of Flick’s consideration.

De Jong’s availability is affected by injury, which the article says will keep him sidelined for several months, forcing Flick to name a stand-in at the start of the season. Media reports have pointed to Raphinha as the likely interim captain to begin the campaign while the Dutch midfielder recovers.

Raphinha has been noted in the report for marked improvement over the last two seasons and is described as one of Barcelona’s best players, bolstering his case to wear the armband temporarily. Pedri is also identified as a probable member of the three-captain core, reflecting the club’s inclination to promote internal leaders into the captaincy structure.

Barcelona intend to finalise a five-player captaincy group before the season begins; with De Jong, Raphinha and Pedri expected to occupy three of those slots, the report says the remaining places are likely to be filled by Eric Garcia and Gavi. Mundo Deportivo states Garcia has emerged as a strong contender because of his experience at the highest level and his connection with the club’s younger players, while Gavi — described as a key midfielder at the age of 22 — is presented as a prospect for future leadership.

With the La Liga campaign starting on August 15, Flick must confirm Barcelona’s five-player captaincy group prior to the season opener.