Harry Maguire removed as captain of Manchester United: Details here
Harry Maguire has been stripped of his captaincy at Manchester United, the defender revealed on Sunday via social media. Maguire, who was made club captain under former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, has been removed from his duty to lead the club by Erik ten Hag. Maguire said he will be continuing to give his all for the club when he wears the shirt.
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Maguire expresses his disappointment
Maguire said after discussions with the manager on Sunday, he was informed that there will be a change in captaincy. Maguire said Ten Hag outlined his reasons and whilst he is extremely disappointed, he will continue to give his all every time he wears the shirt. He thanked the Manchester United fans for all their brilliant support whilst he was wearing the armband.
'I've done everything I possibly could to help United'
"Since the day I took on the role, three and half years ago, it's been a huge privilege to lead Manchester United and one of the proudest moments of my career to date. It's one of the greatest honors in club football. I've done everything I possibly could to help United be successful - on and off the field," added Maguire.
Erik ten Hag continues to be lethal with his decision-making
Since coming on as the manager last summer, Ten Hag has been clear in what he wants. He didn't feed on Cristiano Ronaldo's ego but rather handled the situation well as per the team's needs. Ronaldo departed post the Qatar World Cup. Meanwhile, the Dutchman allowed David de Gea to leave and has now stripped Maguire as captain to build the team he wants.
End of the road for Maguire at United?
Maguire, who played a bit-part role in Ten Hag's debut season, is likely to leave the club. He was informed earlier by the manager that it's up to him to decide on what's next for his career. Maguire is behind in the pecking order among central defenders and he is now likely to find an exit after today's incident.
West Ham United are interested in Maguire
As per Skysports, West Ham United are interested in Maguire. The Hammers are pondering on both a loan move and a direct purchase. Maguire's wages could act as a hindrance here. Meanwhile, Maguire is being closely monitored by clubs in the Premier League and abroad. Other options for West Ham are Torino's Perr Schuurs, Bayer Leverkusen's Jonathan Tah, and Luiz Felipe from Real Betis.
Maguire's influence died down in 2022-23
Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez were favored over Maguire last season. When Martinez was injured, Victor Lindelof deputized. England left-back Luke Shaw was also deployed as a center-back on several occasions. Maguire played in 31 of the club's 62 matches in all competitions during the 2022-23 campaign. Bruno Fernandes wore the armband in his absence.
Analysis: Ten Hag is willing to let Maguire leave
Sunday's announcement was fairly obvious given how last season went for Maguire. Ten Hag stood by Fernandes as skipper. He remains the favorite to be named skipper permanently. Meanwhile, amid interest from other Premier League clubs, a report in BBC claimed Maguire is said to be happy at Old Trafford. However, today's incident changes things. Ten Hag is willing to let Maguire leave.
