Man United captain: Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes has been named the new captain of the Manchester United team. It was only a few days ago when the news came that their former captain Harry Maguire was stripped of the armband. The news of Fernandes’ appointment as the new captain was expected to come sooner rather than later. Maguire failed to impress and fell down the pecking order. Fernandes had been playing as the captain for the most part of last season. Hence, the news did not come as a surprise to fans.
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It was just days ago when the news came that Harry Maguire had lost his position as the club captain. Maguire had already lost his position in the starting XI last season. He lost the coach’s confidence and fell down the pecking order. Especially considering the performance put up by newcomers Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez. Even when the duo were injured, Luke Shaw and Victor Lindelof were caked before Maguire. By last season, Maguire had served 3 years as the Manchester United captain.
However, it started becoming tough as his playing time decreased significantly. He started in only 16 matches throughout all competitions last season. In his absence, the 28-year-old Portuguese was given the responsibilities of the captaincy. As a result, Bruno Fernandes ended up serving 45 games as the captain last season. Now, after Maguire was stripped of the armband, it has been given to Fernandes on a permanent basis. Man United are currently in the United States for their blockbuster pre-season matches.
Their next match is against Arsenal and this will be the first official match for Fernandes as the Man United captain. He arrived at the club from Lisbon back in January, 2020 on a £47 million transfer fee. Since then, he has played 185 games, scored 64 times for them, and provided 54 assists. However, most importantly he gained the coach’s trust after Erik Ten Hag joined at the beginning of last season. Ten Hag demanded high standards and discipline from the very first day.
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He welcomed the coach’s words echoing that standard was being allowed to decline at the club. He has since proven himself and set an example for others. In February, Ten Hag praised him saying, “First, as captain, he’s an example on the pitch with the energy he puts in. He is so important for the team in our tactical approach and transition – he’s a great example. He can match and cope with the load standards that are really high and can take a lot of games – he’s a great example for everyone in the squad.”
On the other hand, Maguire has given out one after another disappointing performance. It did not help his case when his mistakes cost Man United their progression in the Europa League. His own goal in the quarter-finals first leg and another mistake which led to an opposition goal in the second cost heavily. Following his decreased playing time, he has also been linked with a move away. However, not every team can afford his £200,000-per-week salary. Hence, he is still staying put at Man United albeit as any other player.
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