Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes has recalled what Harry Maguire said to him after the England defender lost the club captaincy in the summer of 2023.
Maguire was removed from his role as Manchester United captain by then-manager Erik ten Hag. Fernandes was subsequently appointed as the new captain of the Red Devils.
Fernandes has now spoken about the change in leadership and explained how he received the captain’s armband from Maguire. His recollection focuses on the message delivered by the defender at the time the responsibility passed to him.
The decision marked a significant change in the Manchester United leadership structure. Maguire had occupied the captaincy before Ten Hag decided to take the role away from him in the summer of 2023. Fernandes then became the player responsible for leading the side.
Maguire remains identified as an Englishman in the account, while Fernandes is described as a Manchester United midfielder. The change was made under Ten Hag, who was the club’s manager at the time.
The captaincy transfer between the two players is being recalled ahead of Manchester United’s next Premier League fixture. On Sunday, 6 September, Manchester United are scheduled to play away against Everton in a match from the third round of the English Premier League.
That fixture will take place at Everton’s home ground, with Manchester United travelling for the game. The match is listed as the clubs’ meeting in the third round of the competition.
Fernandes’ comments return attention to the decision that made him Manchester United’s captain and ended Maguire’s time in the role. The account centres on what Maguire told Fernandes when the armband changed hands, rather than on a new decision regarding the club’s captaincy.
Maguire’s removal was made by Ten Hag during the summer of 2023, while Fernandes was the player chosen to succeed him. Since then, Fernandes has been the Manchester United player associated with the captaincy in the reported account.
The upcoming away match against Everton provides the immediate fixture context for Fernandes’ recollection. Manchester United will face Everton on Sunday, 6 September, in the third round of the English Premier League, with the captaincy change from 2023 remaining the central subject of the midfielder’s comments.
