Harry Maguire has been told he is free to leave Manchester United this summer, with Erik ten Hag keen to use the transfer window to reshape his squad.
United are looking to earn as much as £50million from the defender’s sale, it has been claimed. He could join Fred, Scott McTominay and Jadon Sancho in departing the club before the window closes on September 1.
Even if Maguire does stay – and that is a possibility, given he has two years left on his contract and will be reluctant to give up his wages – the captaincy will be stripped from him.
Maguire spent most of last season on the substitutes’ bench and Ten Hag wants to reassign the captaincy to a first-team regular. Here Mirror Football takes a look at five alternatives for Ten Hag to consider.
Bruno Fernandes
The most natural and obvious pick. Fernandes wore the armband for much of the 2022/23 season, with Maguire either on the bench or out injured, and he clearly enjoyed the responsibility.
Fernandes played 53 matches in all competitions for United last season, starting all but one in the Premier League, and is undoubtedly a key player for Ten Hag. He is the creative fulcrum of the side and has a burning desire to win. The only question mark might come from his temperament when he feels like things are going against his side.
Raphael Varane
Varane has been with United for two seasons following his move from Real Madrid. He is vastly experienced, having played 93 times for France and for 10 years inside the winning machine of Real.
There are a few doubts over his leadership credentials, however. Firstly his injury record: Varane has rarely been fully fit for long periods at United, with 22 Premier League starts last season following on from 20 in his debut campaign.
Secondly, Varane does not have much experience with captaincy, with Hugo Lloris wearing the armband during his time with France and Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema generally doing so at Real.
Lisandro Martinez
Martinez has only been at United for one season but already looks like a genuine contender for the role. He joined the club due to Ten Hag’s influence, having worked under him at Ajax and immediately allayed concerns over his lack of height.
The Argentina World Cup winner is already a leader on the pitch. He is vocal, happy to get into arguments – just ask Mason Mount – and plays in a position generally associated with the captaincy.
Luke Shaw
A few years ago the idea of Shaw taking the United armband would have appeared a longshot. But the left-back’s standing at the club has shot up under Ten Hag, who trusted him to move into central defence when Martinez suffered an injury.
Shaw is now a much more mature player at 27 years old and, with 260 appearances, is now the longest-serving regular in the side since David de Gea confirmed his departure, having arrived from Southampton in 2014.
Marcus Rashford
Rashford is the hometown hero and undeniable star of the team since Cristiano Ronaldo left in December. He has the respect of his teammates and appeared to turn the corner with a new mentality last season.
The 25-year-old enjoyed his best-ever campaign in 2022/23, scoring 30 times in all competitions. Could he be given a leadership role on the back of that?
