McClaren's Candidates To Be Newcastle Captain Assessed

5. Siem De Jong

Having captained Ajax to two consecutive Eredivisie titles in his only two seasons as skipper of the Dutch giants, no-one has better credentials than Siem de Jong. A player Steve McClaren knows well from his time in Holland, De Jong is a figure who inspires his teammates and leads from the front - proven during the final 20 minutes of the loss to Swansea City last season. Although Newcastle still lost the game, they improved immeasurably once De Jong took to the field - and the Dutchman also netted. His leadership ability and the fact he is likely to start for the Magpies work in De Jong's favour, but his lack of experience in the Premier League means he is unlikely to be given the role just yet. Handed the captaincy for the Magpies' 2-1 defeat at York City during pre-season, De Jong is certainly in McClaren's thoughts when it comes to who will be Newcastle's next skipper anyway. If he plays regularly over the next few months McClaren may look to appoint De Jong as captain at a later date, though it seems unlikely for now. Likelihood Of Being Captain For 2015-16 Season: 5/10