Steven Gerrard has revealed he may try to bring a new captain to Aston Villa this summer as he weighs up who should have the role in the long-term.
England defender Tyrone Mings has continued to wear the armband since Gerrard replaced Dean Smith last November but the Villa boss will delay a decision on whether he will keep it until after the campaign has ended.
'I still won't rule out the option of someone coming in, who I know, who is also capable of being in the running,' said Gerrard ahead of Saturday's meeting with Tottenham at Villa Park.
'It is something I am analysing really closely and I will make a decision during pre-season. Tyrone is in with a really good shout, I've been really happy with him. But it's not the right time, with eight games to go, to pick the long-term captain.
'Tyrone was really appreciative of having the opportunity to continue with the armband. I made it clear to him first before we made it public that it was what we were going to do.
'It is always important to get in among the group and see what they are like, every minute of every day. You want to see who leads through adversity, not just when the sun is shining. We are still working that out.'
In 17 years in the Liverpool team, Gerrard established himself as one of the great captains of the Premier League era. He believes the captaincy remains a vital position in the modern game and he is determined to get the appointment right.
He added: 'At certain teams like Manchester City or Real Madrid, maybe the captaincy is not as important as they have world-class players across the board.
'But we took over this team when they were two points above the relegation zone. We need more leaders to support a lot of the young talent we have. It's important we add leadership, and retain leadership in the group.'