Vincent Kompany insists captaincy would not change his role at Manchester City

Carlos Tevez, Manchester City (Getty Images)

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Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany claims his role at the club will not change if he is appointed captain.

The centre-back is the leading contender to replace Carlos Tevez, who looks set to join Corinthians, as the club’s skipper ahead of the new season.

But the Belgium international says that although he is proud to captain the team, wearing the armband would not alter his position within the club.

“There’s nothing official,” he said. “I’m always honoured to wear the armband, but I wouldn’t become captain because I get the armband. You are who you are and the armband doesn’t change anything to my role on the team.”

Roberto Mancini claimed this week that Tevez’s move to Corinthians is in place, before the Brazilian club dismissed talk that a deal had been already agreed.

Kompany says he and his team-mates, who are in America on a pre-season tour, are not concerned about rumours surrounding their skipper.

“We’re in America so nobody talks about it here,” the defender said.

“This is just another story to add to the book. We still have all of pre-season to go and this doesn’t faze me or bother me at all. It’s just part of what we have to go through at this club. It’s not a negative, it’s not a positive. It just happens.”

The defender is targeting further improvement for City next season, after they won their first trophy for over three decades by beating Stoke 1-0 in the FA Cup final in May.

“That’s been the way the club has been moving forward for the past few seasons,” Kompany said. “Every year we try to be better.”

City came from a goal down to beat Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 in their latest pre-season friendly.

“It was challenging but the end result was good,” Kompany added. “The performance was also good given the condition of the pitch and travel.”

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