Manchester [UK], July 21 : Manchester United announced on Thursday that midfielder Bruno Fernandes will be the new club captain.
This comes after the club had taken away the captaincy from England centre-back Harry Maguire on Sunday.
"Bruno Fernandes has been named as the new club captain of Manchester United," said a statement from the club.
This midfielder from Portugal has worn the captain's armband on numerous occasions. Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag confirmed that Bruno will be taking up the captaincy role on a permanent basis.
The midfielder has scored 64 goals and delivered 54 assists for the club in 185 games since joining in 2020.
"As captain, the two-time Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year will continue to drive the highest standards throughout the squad as United push for success in the 2023/24 season and beyond," concluded the statement.
The 30-year-old Maguire took to Twitter to thank the fans for their support during his captaincy and ensure that he will continue to give his all for the club.
"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 Manchester United fans for all their brilliant support whilst I’ve been wearing the armband," Maguire wrote in his tweet.
He further went on to say that it was a privilege to lead the club and this has been one of the proudest moments of his career.
"Since the day I took on the role, three-and-a-half years ago, it’s been a huge privilege to lead Manchester United and one of the proudest moments of my career to date. It’s one of the greatest honours in club football. I’ve done everything I possibly could to help United be successful - on and off the field," he added.
"I will always be grateful to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for first giving me the responsibility and I wish whoever now takes it on every success and they will have my full support," Maguire wrote in his tweet.
With the lack of game time Magurie had under Erik Ten Hag and Bruno Fernandes leading the team on the pitch, it was a clear indication of Maguire's future as a captain.
For the past few days, Maguire has been linked heavily for a move away from Manchester. According to Sky Sports, "West Ham are thought to be exploring the option of either a loan or a permanent deal for the 30-year-old defender. However, the Hammers are aware wages could prove to be a problem if a deal was to be agreed between the clubs."
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