Jose Mourinho considering replacing Iker Casillas with outfield player as Real Madrid captain

Jose Mourinho considering replacing Iker Casillas with outfield player as Real Madrid captain

The Madrid coach is reportedly thinking over the prospect of naming an alternative, with Casillas set to relinquish the armband.

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is considering dropping goalkeeper Iker Casillas and appointing an outfield player as the club's captain in 2011-12, Marca reports.

Mourinho sees the position of captain as an important means of communication with the referee on the pitch, and for that reason is thinking of replacing the Spain international.

The Portuguese has always worked with outfield players as his leaders in the past, with centre-back John Terry his Chelsea skipper, while Javier Zanetti wore the armband when Mourinho was in charge at Inter.

No final decision has been made about who will be handed the position if Mourinho indeed decides to remove the experienced shot-stopper, but defender Sergio Ramos and midfielder Xabi Alonso appear prime candidates for the role.

Mourinho is wary of the consequences of dropping Casillas as club skipper, however, and is ready to hand him a position in charge of internal affairs such as negotiating bonuses, meaning that he would effectively only lose his captaincy status on the pitch.