"If he was at Arsenal, he'd probably have a statue now" - Rio Ferdinand names his choice to replace Maguire as Manchester United captain

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has stated that he would like Bruno Fernandes to be his former club's new captain.

With Harry Maguire settling for a spot on the bench on multiple occasions this season, Fernandes has adorned the armband plenty of times. The Portuguese midfielder has been ever-present for the Red Devils, missing only three of their 55 matches across competitions.

Ferdinand's comments came in the aftermath of Fernandes' display in Manchester United's 1-0 Premier League win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford. The former Sporting CP star scored the only goal of the game while also recording one big chance created, two tackles, two interceptions and three successful duels.

It helped United end Villa's 10-match unbeaten run.

Speaking about the game on his "Vibe with FIVE" podcast, Ferdinand said (as quoted by Stretty News):

“Unai Emery was producing miracles, and who steps up to stop them? Bruno. We deserved to win the game. Did you see Bruno’s numbers? Wow.

“The guy – it’s remarkable what he is doing. If he was at Arsenal he’d probably have a statue now at the Emirates with the numbers he has done!”

The six-time Premier League winner with United added:

“Does Bruno take the captaincy next year? 100 per cent… I think he does. Since Bruno signed, he has been the most impactful player we have had. He’s wearing the armband while Maguire doesn’t play. I think it is a natural progression for him to be captain next season.”

Fernandes has recorded 11 goals and 14 assists in 52 appearances across all competitions this term. Overall, he has managed 61 goals and 53 assists in 178 matches for Manchester United since arriving from Sporting in January 2020.

Meanwhile, Maguire has struggled for playing time this term, with Ten Hag preferring to use Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez in central defense. He has appeared in just 29 games across competitions, of which only 15 have been starts.

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Erik ten Hag also praised Bruno Fernandes for his leadership after Manchester United's win over Aston Villa

Erik ten Hag lauded Bruno Fernandes for his excellent display against Aston Villa over the weekend. The Manchester United boss believes Fernandes has shut down questions over his leadership and said (as quoted by the Mirror):

“I emphasised it on Thursday, he’s so tough. A few weeks ago there were questions about his captaincy - it’s crazy, he’s such a big leader, he gives so much energy to the team.

“His determination, his passion, his resilience. You need such players if you want to win games and win trophies.”

United have notably missed the Portuguese maestro when he has not been available, emphasizing his importance to the team.

They recently suffered a 3-0 defeat to Sevilla in the second leg of their UEFA Europa League quarterfinal, a game he missed due to suspension. Prior to that, Fernandes also missed their reverse Premier League fixture at Villa due to the same reason. Ten Hag's men lost that game 3-1.