Arsenal boss Arteta confirms squad vote on Gunners 2025-26 captain 

Gunners squad elect Martin Odegaard Arsenal captain for 2025-26 reveals Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta has revealed that he allowed his squad to vote to decide the Gunners captain for the forthcoming 2025-26 season. 

Speaking at the club's training HQ London Colney on Friday afternoon, ahead of Arsenal's Premier League blockbuster opener against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon, Arteta disclosed the players' poll. 

When informed that former Arsenal captain Tony Adams had recently voiced his opinion that Declan Rice should be the on-pitch leader, Arteta made it known about the team choice. 

Arteta said: "Well, my opinion is clear. It's not just my opinion, it's all the staff and especially the players.

"I asked them to vote the captain and I got the result yesterday.

"And by a mile, by a big, big 100 marks, everybody's choosing the same person, which is Martin Odegaard, which is the most clear sign that you can have, how they feel about who has to be their captain to defend, improve and win the matches that we want to win.

"So, I mean, there's no question about that."