We’ve rounded up the troops to have our say on who should be the next Manchester United captain.
Harry Maguire was stripped of the responsibility this week following talks with Erik ten Hag, and we will soon find out who will have the honour to wear the armband next.
There’s a number of players in the running to become Maguire’s successor. It could be Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, or maybe someone else!
Without further ado, here’s what we all think at Stretty News:
Editor – Dale O’Donnell
“The popular choice is Bruno Fernandes, who wore the armband for the majority of last season, and I can totally see why. The Portuguese Magnificio is a leader on the pitch, but I’d argue he doesn’t need the armband for that. I’d love to see Lisandro Martinez as captain. Nobody messes with Licha and he took no time fitting in when he joined from Ajax. Unlike Harry Maguire, I fancy him to make the role his own.”
Writer – Isabel Crofts
“For me, the next captain has to be Bruno Fernandes. With all due respect to Harry Maguire, Fernandes had basically taken on the role last season anyway considering the difference in game time. He is one of the most senior players and without a doubt our most reliable since he arrived. His availability is second to none and he’s never afraid to give the players (or referee) an earful when they need it. I won’t slate Maguire as the armband was given to him far too early – I think that plus the transfer fee was too much expectation to live up to.”
Writer – Paul Rowles
“Bruno Fernandes is the ready made successor to Harry Maguire as Manchester United’s next captain. He is our talismanic driving force in midfield and has already had a fruitful period wearing the armband in Erik Ten Hag’s first season. He never misses a minute, is extremely dependable and gets the responsibilities playing for our great club demands. He wears his heart on his sleeve, wants nothing more than to be successful and players seem to want to go into the trenches with him. Bruno would richly deserve the armband and carry on the great work from last season.”
Writer – Shaun Connolly
“For me, Bruno Fernandes is the man to take over the captaincy from Harry Maguire. Not only is the 28-year-old integral to Erik ten Hag’s philosophy on the field, but he also wears the armband with pride and is a genuine leader in my eyes. Sure, he has a petulant trait that can frustrate, and we have the did he/didn’t he with the phantom ‘take me off’ debacle, but I feel his desire to lead is evident, and he does not shy away from any scenario. I recall Watford in November 2021 and the classiest of acts from the Portuguese toward the travelling support. Furthermore, it is well-documented that he holds the respect of the dressing room. There are other notable options, including an amazing Argentine, but the boy from Maia gets my vote, and he has my full support.”
Writer – Jonathan Kahn
“It’s a bit out there as a choice but hear me out. Shaw is now a senior member of the squad, only Antony Martial and Marcus Rashford have been at the club longer and have more appearances than Shaw and Shaw lost the best part of 18 months with a serious injury. He’s almost become Erik Ten Hag’s key player and is someonw who, win, lose or draw has never been afraid to front it up with the media, something any good captain should be doing. He’s seen the good, the bad and everything in between. Now is his time.”
Writer – Brian Murphy
“There’s been a few names thrown about regarding who should take the armband now Harry Maguire has been relieved of his duties, Rashford has been mentioned, which is no surprise given his new long term contract, Varane & Casemiro due to their experience and trophy laden careers, but Bruno Fernandes is the most obvious option. He’s shown his worth more than once stepping in for Maguire and leads from the front, attitude wise. The only black mark is he led the side to waving a white flag against Liverpool at Anfield, he needs to show more in difficult situations like that going forward, but for me, it’s Captain Bruno.”
Writer – Rebecca Laste
“Today, the inevitable happened – Harry Maguire was stripped of his captaincy. While his form rarely reached the standards of a Roy Keane or Bryan Robson, I personally always had a soft spot for Maguire. That being said, Maguire “led” us through some of the worst and frustratingly disappointing football in recent memory during his tenure as captain since 2020. For me – there is only one man for the job going forward and that is Bruno Fernandes. His passion, grit and work ethic on and off the field is exactly what we need going into the 2023/2024 season. One of the best attacking midfielders in the world right now, I truly believe Bruno is the man to lead us to a new, better era of football, so much so that I named my cat after him – but that’s a story for another day! I wish Maguire all the best and am happy he announced this news himself with dignity and grace.”
Writer – Philip Morrissey
“The days of having an under-performing player guaranteed a starting position should be a thing of the past. It shows when club captain, Harry Maguire, has become a peripheral figure also. Leaders on the pitch have emerged in the meantime and one of those would be my choice as new captain. Casemiro demonstrated a massive influence in his time at the club on and off the pitch. His standards as a serial winner with Real Madrid have rubbed off on those around him. It shows the levels needed to become a success at a major club. For his impact on the younger players, I would select the Brazilian.”
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