admin Manchester United’s centre-back is set to be stripped of the captain’s armband even if he snubs a move away from Old Trafford
Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire will lose his captaincy this week, with manager Eric ten Haag calling for a drastic change in coaching roles, according to The Sun.
The Dutch manager plans to remove Maguire from the captaincy next season, even if he continues to play for the club.
The former Leicester City centre-back has had a lot to do with his exit from Old Trafford, with several Premier League teams showing interest in him. But England’s star could stay at the club because of his high salary.
If Maguire decides to remain at Old Trafford, Bruno Fernandes will replace him as captain.
Fernandes took over the captaincy role on the field last season when Maguire was no longer a regular starter under Ten Haag. The 30-year-old defender has fallen down the pecking order in recent years.
Lisandro Martinez, Rafael Varane and Victor Lindelof were preferred to him. In fact, Ten Hag didn’t hesitate to use Luke Shaw even if they had to bench Maguire again.
And the full-back’s impressive performance made the captain’s chances of returning to the starting lineup even lower. Furthermore, Maguire started just eight Premier League games last season, further hurting his career.
Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham have emerged as potential targets for the centre-back, but talks are hampered by his hefty £200,000-a-week salary.
Maguire will secure more regular playing time ahead of his country’s expected Euro 2024 appearances. England manager Gareth Southgate has already warned that he needs to play more at club level.
The defender’s priority is to maintain his place in the national team, which is only possible if he decides to leave the club. In the current scenario, an English star is very unlikely to be in the starting line-up.
Fernandes, on the other hand, has never missed a match for Man United through injury. He has regularly scored goals and provided assists for the Red Devils. Therefore, the possibility of Ten Hag awarding him the captain’s armband next season is justified.
Maguire’s slow pace of play, sloppy passing in defense and nervousness on the counterattack have made some mistakes for United in recent years.
Criticism is mounting from all corners of the fan base, and it would be better to ensure the defender is out of the Theater of Dreams.
Maguire has the potential to revive his career, but not just by warming up the bench. His time at Man United hasn’t been particularly exciting, but the player has to make decisions or risk losing his place in the England squad.
Chelsea centre-back Levi Colwill has attracted a lot of attention from clubs and managers in recent months following his impressive performances at Brighton & Hove Albion.
His solid defense helped the Three Lions win the European U-21 title, and Southgate will want to give him a chance at the back.
This means more trouble for Maguire. It’s no exaggeration to say that players don’t always get favors from coaches. To stand out from the rest of your competitors, you must ultimately prove your worth.
The same applies to the United captain, who needs to understand quickly what’s good for both the club and the players.
