Author: Amrit Santlani
Manchester United have officially confirmed that they have stripped defender Harry Maguire of his captain’s armband at the request of manager Erik ten Hag. Maguire, the most expensive defender of all time, received the armband for the first time almost five months after being signed by Leicester City for 80 million pounds.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the manager who put his faith in the English defender to lead Manchester United, however, Ten Hag has made it clear that he would like a new captain, as Maguire is not among the Dutchman’s first-team squad.
In his statement, the Englishman said he was “disappointed”, but assured the fans that he would continue to give his best for the club.
Last year, Maguire started just eight Premier League games for the team and is being linked with Chelsea and West Ham United, as rumors of his departure from Old Trafford are rife.
In a statement shared by the club, they informed that a new captain will be appointed in due course and that Ten Hag revealed the development to the players themselves.
For those who don’t know, in Maguire’s absence Bruno Fernandes wore the armband and he will be one of the main candidates for captaincy. United are about to embark on their pre-season tour of the United States and will set up camp in New York, so it remains to be seen who the first team will be in the first friendly against Lyon.
“After speaking to the manager today, he has informed me that he is changing captain,” Maguire wrote on social media.
“He explained the reasons to me and, although I’m extremely disappointed, I’ll continue to give my all whenever I wear the shirt,” added the 30-year-old, whose contract runs until the end of 2025.
Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez are the current starting defenders under Ten Hag, and Victor Lindelof played alongside Luke Shaw, who was acting as a makeshift defender, despite Maguire being fit to play.
Following the sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal for a British record £105 million, West Ham are looking to strengthen their squad and could give Maguire an exit route.