Erik ten Hag’s captaincy conundrum: Does he stick with Harry Maguire?

Erik ten Hag has several important decisions to make upon starting his tenure in charge of Manchester United, but is the issue of captaincy top of that list?

As clubs across the Premier League set their sights on the looming 2022/23 pre-season tour, it gives each manager the chance to test the waters with their squads and construct their strongest starting eleven for the upcoming season.

This includes giving a collection of players the responsibilities of set pieces, captain and vice-captain. Whilst it’s unlikely these will change drastically from season to season, different aspects (such as transfers and injuries) can force a manager into having to rethink whom he gives duty to from the get-go.

One club in particular who could be set to have a drastic shake-up are 13-time Premier League winners Manchester United, following the arrival of new head coach Erik ten Hag from Ajax.

After a seemingly continuous period of underwhelming domestic and European campaigns respectively, the Dutchman will be eager to get the Reds back to victorious ways and end their five-year trophy drought.

Erik ten Hag’s captaincy conundrum

A question that seems to be gaining speculation amongst the United faithful is who will wear the captain’s armband under their new manager. From January 2020, England international Harry Maguire has been the designated club captain, with Bruno Fernandes second in line.

The authority was handed to him by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following the departure of Ashley Young and fans were skeptical of the quick appointment from the moment it was announced, especially given the fact at that time, he had only been at the club a year.

Maguire remains the most expensive defender in the world after United paid Leicester City £80m for the centre-back and his time at the club has been nothing short of lacklustre since his arrival.

The performances of the club cannot be pinned onto one player, of course, but a quick look into some of the team’s losses last season show the defensive structure has been well below par.

In the Premier League, United conceded 57 goals and ended the season with a goal difference of 0. David De Gea was also ranked seventh for amount of saves across the campaign, which can only reflect badly on the back line he has in front of him.

Fans also questioned why the likes of De Gea, who remains one of the only current players to have played under Sir Alex Ferguson, was not granted captaincy having been at the club since 2011.

Supporters also raised the concern of players like Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time Champions League winner and Raphael Varane, a four-time Champions League winner, falling short in the pecking order to the likes of Maguire and Fernandes.

Could their experience across Europe make them a more motivating and dominating presence in the dressing room before a Champions League night or at half-time on a strenuous early kick-off?

Whatever the outcome, it’s clear that Ten Hag has some crucial decisions to make over the coming months with a team that is in direct need of guidance and authority.