English footballer Harry Maguire is facing the prospect of being replaced as captain of Manchester United, even if he remains at Old Trafford. Despite a period of inconsistent form, the England international lost his place in the United starting lineup last season, making only 16 Premier League appearances. Manager Erik ten Hag opted for Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane as his preferred center-back pairing, with Victor Lindelof also seemingly ahead of Maguire in the pecking order.
Although Maguire continued to wear the captain's armband on the field, his future under Ten Hag now appears uncertain. Reports suggest that he is part of the club's planned summer clear-out, following David de Gea's announcement of his departure after 11 years at the club. Maguire, who joined Manchester United in 2019 in a world-record £80 million transfer from Leicester City, was appointed captain shortly after his arrival under the management of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Due to the change in Maguire's squad status, there have been calls for him to be replaced as captain, and now Ten Hag is reportedly ready to strip him of the armband, inflicting further disappointment on the center-back. According to The Sun, Maguire is expected to be replaced as captain "over the course of the next week," regardless of his decision to stay or leave the club. With one year remaining on his current contract, Manchester United may be considering the possibility of selling him to recoup a significant fee.
Although there was interest from West Ham in securing Maguire on loan, Manchester United rejected the offer from the East London club in January. Potential destinations for the Sheffield-born star include Newcastle and Tottenham, with his market value estimated to be around £30 million by the club. Ten Hag is reportedly prepared to hand the captaincy to Bruno Fernandes, who has taken on the responsibility in Maguire's absence from the starting lineup. Another potential candidate for the captaincy is Casemiro, given his influential role since joining from Real Madrid.
However, Casemiro has downplayed the importance of being named captain, emphasizing that acting as a leader on the pitch is more significant.
