“Bruno was Erik ten Hag’s guy” - Harry Maguire opens up on what he told Bruno Fernandes after he had to give up Manchester United captaincy

Harry Maguire has shared what he told Bruno Fernandes after he took over the Manchester United captaincy. He pointed out how Erik ten Hag preferred Fernandes, just like Ole Gunnar Solskjær preferred the defender.

Maguire joined Manchester United from Leicester City for £80 million in 2019. He was made the club captain in January 2020 by Solskjær. However, the Norwegian was sacked in 2021, and Ten Hag replaced him in the summer of 2022. In the Dutchman's first season, Maguire started just 16 games across competitions.

Hence, in the summer of 2023, the captaincy went from Maguire to Bruno Fernandes, who was one of the main players on the team. Opening up about what he told the Portuguese, Maguire said on Rio Ferdinand Presents:

“It was a sticky conversation [about giving up the captain’s armband]. The season before, I just didn’t feel as important to the club as what I did under Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer]. If you’re the captain, you need to feel important, need to have the backing of the manager and the support of the entire team around you. If you don’t [have that support], it doesn’t work.

“Bruno was Erik’s [ten Hag] guy. He is a great leader so I said to him, ‘If I had to give it away to anyone, which I didn’t want to, you’d be the man I want to take it.’ He’s a fantastic player, great leader and most importantly, he puts other people first and that’s a good trait to have when you’re captain.”

Maguire and Fernandes shared the pitch 203 times together for Manchester United and also combined for six goals.

---

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire picks his 5-a-side team

On Rio Ferdinand Presents, Harry Maguire was asked to pick a 5-a-side team made of players he's played with, but no goalkeepers. He picked John Stones, Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba, Riyad Mahrez, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Maguire has shared the pitch 38 times with Stones for England and also combined for one goal. He made 81 appearances with Pogba and 36 with Ronaldo for Manchester United. Meanwhile, he shared the pitch 40 times with Mahrez for Leicester City, and they also combined for one goal.

Maguire is now preparing for the 2025-26 season with Manchester United, having recently finished pre-season. They will face Arsenal at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday, August 17. They finished trophyless and 15th in the league last season and will look to bounce back this season.