Evidently, Manchester United has struggled through the Premier League season and finished sixth on the table. Despite Ronaldo scoring 18 goals this season, the United has fallen short consistently, taking all hopes of a Champions League qualification away. There are a series of changes coming ahead in the club’s managerial position this summer. Erick ten Hag will replace the interim coach Ralf Rangnick. Eric has signed a three-year contract with the Red Devils with the option of adding one more year. With a change in the management, Erik might strip the captaincy away from Harry Maguire, and Cristiano Ronaldo might replace him for the 2023 season.
The Dutch football coach is expected to make some major changes team, which could lead to the 28-year-old center-back losing his armband. Harry and the United have had a tough season, leading to fans demanding a change in the team’s leadership on the field too. Many feel that Maguire lacks the leadership traits to lead Manchester forward, as he disappointed the fans many times this season.
As per ESPN, the English center-back’s chances of continuing as the skipper next season are slim. And the favorites to be the next captain for the Red Devils are Cristiano Ronaldo, David de Gea, and Bruno Fernandes if ten Hag decides to change things around. In addition, Ragnick revealed earlier that he would put the captaincy to a vote if he had been the one taking the team’s charge this summer. All three candidates have been tried in the captaincy role in Maguire’s absence this season.
Who Should Be The United’s Captain Among The Three Prime Candidates?
Harry Maguire’s stay at Old Trafford was tainted when the Red Devils paid £80 million to Leicester City to sign him in 2019. The deal made the Englishman one of the most expensive defenders in football history. With so much attention on Harry, his performances have been closely scrutinized by the fans and the critics. He was appointed as the United skipper in 2020 by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Harry has played 144 matches with the football club. However, the captaincy role and the huge bucks Manchester paid have certainly put a lot of pressure on Maguire. Thus, Erick might reduce the burden on Maguire and hand over the captaincy reign to Ronaldo, De Gea, or Fernandes.
Cristiano is perfect for the skipper’s role as he has been one of the most successful football players in Europe. The Portuguese international has won five Champions League titles with three Premier League wins. He also led Portugal’s national team to the WEFA European championships in 2016.
Meanwhile, Fernandes could also be a good choice to replace Maguire. The 27-year-old captained Sporting FC before he made a move to Manchester United in 2020. His passion for the field is inspiring for his teammates, and his contribution to the team’s mindset could be crucial.
Elsewhere, De Gea has been commended for his performances and post-match interviews. He has expressed his discontent over his squad’s performance several times this season. In addition, he is the longest reigning player in the United team, being with the club for eleven years. Hence, it will be interesting to see who among the three candidates would be chosen by Erik ten Hag.