Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has revealed that he has been stripped of the club captaincy by manager Erik ten Hag.
Maguire, who was appointed skipper by former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in January 2020, expressed his disappointment but pledged to continue giving his all for the team.
The 30-year-old England centre-back, who joined United for £80 million from Leicester City, made eight Premier League starts last season and has been linked with a potential move to West Ham.
The club confirmed that ten Hag would announce a new captain “in due course” after informing the players, with the official confirmation likely to come during United’s pre-season tour in New York.
In a statement posted on social media, Maguire said, “After discussions with the manager today, he has informed me he is changing captain. He outlined his reasons to me, and whilst I’m personally extremely disappointed, I will continue to give my all every time I wear the shirt.”
Maguire expressed gratitude towards the Manchester United fans for their support during his tenure as captain, describing it as a “huge privilege” and one of the proudest moments of his career. He acknowledged the responsibility given to him by former manager Solskjaer and wished success to whoever takes on the captaincy role.
After discussions with the manager today he has informed me he is changing captain. He outlined his reasons to me and whilst I’m personally extremely disappointed, I will continue to give my all every time I wear the shirt.
So I wanted to say a massive thank you to the… pic.twitter.com/TAOS0eisF1
— Harry Maguire (@HarryMaguire93) July 16, 2023
Last season, Maguire faced competition in central defence from Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, with Victor Lindelof deputizing in Martinez’s absence due to injury. Additionally, England left-back Luke Shaw was deployed as a centre-back on several occasions by manager Erik ten Hag.
Maguire’s contract at Old Trafford runs until 2025, and despite losing the captaincy, he remains committed to contributing to the team’s success on and off the field.