Manchester United skipper Harry Maguire has been informed by boss Erik ten Hag that he has no guarantee of a starting berth week-in, week-out. Maguire made way for French defender Raphael Varane for United’s crunch Premier League clash with Liverpool. This proved to be a masterstroke, as the Red Devils overcame their bitter rivals on home turf.
Maguire finished that contest as an unused substitute, with new recruit Lisandro Martinez also earning plaudits for his recent displays. At the time, ten Hag described Varane’s stature as “immense”, which appears to hammer the final nail in the coffin when it comes to Maguire’s position as an indispensable member of the United backline.
Despite former players like Mikael Silvestre coming out publicly in defence of Maguire’s leadership skills, reports suggest that ten Hag is mulling over a U-turn on his decision to stick with Maguire as captain for the 2022/23 campaign. The Dutchman feels that a new dressing room figurehead would complete the overhaul of last year’s woefully underperforming squad. This is a club that’s been used to a winning mentality for decades. It’s one of the biggest on the planet and is still the most watched Premier League team worldwide.
Who could ten Hag turn to as Maguire’s replacement?
One of the most popular picks to replace Maguire as United skipper is Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen. The 33-year-old Dane captured the hearts of the football world after recovering from an on-field heart attack during the EURO 2022 championships. Eriksen signed for United on a free transfer this summer, after impressing on a short-term deal with Brentford last season. His humility and experience could be a much-needed tonic for United from both a PR and dressing room perspective.
Although Silvestre remained firmly behind Maguire as skipper, another former United legend believes Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes would be the ideal successor. Rio Ferdinand feels Fernandes would “benefit” from being handed the armband. Fernandes was skipper in United’s confidence-boosting victory over Liverpool and Ferdinand is adamant that giving him the role full time would encourage him to “feed off that responsibility”, generating even greater output from the former Sporting Lisbon ace.
Goalkeeper David de Gea would be another possible choice. The long-serving Spaniard is now part of the fabric of the club and would be a popular appointment within the United dressing room. It’s likely he would captain in a not too dissimilar way to Maguire, with the Spaniard by no means the most vocal player in the squad, but his performances between the sticks would look to lead by example. If he pens a new long-term contract at Old Trafford, it’s possible this could strengthen his chances further still.
