Roberto Mancini: Gareth Barry could be England captain

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has expressed his belief that midfielder Gareth Barry is capable of being the next England captain.

The new England manager will have to name a new captain after former skipper John Terry was stripped of the armband after alleged racial abuse.

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard remains the favourite for the role, but Mancini believes that Barry would also be perfect for the job.

"He could be [captain] because he is a good man, a clever man on and off the pitch. He is a really good player," said the Italian.

"For me, like for Capello, he should play always for the national team because he is a very intelligent man.

"He has played a lot of games for the national team but I think there are two or three players who could be captain."

Barry, 30, currently has 51 international caps to his name, scoring three goals in the process.