Manchester United boss Ten Hag makes huge decision ahead of new season

With the new Premier League season kicking off in less than five weeks, all 20 clubs are busy preparing for the opening round of fixtures. 

Reigning champions Manchester City face Championship title-winners Burnley in the season’s curtain-raiser, before the remaining nine games of the opening game week take place.

Manchester United will face Wolves in their first game, with new signing Mason Mount likely to make his competitive debut for the Red Devils during the match.

United are likely to complete more new signings before the transfer window shuts, but it appears in the meantime that manager Erik ten Hag has made a huge decision ahead of the new season.

As per The Sun, the Dutchman is set to strip defender Harry Maguire of the club captaincy before the start of the new campaign.

Maguire endured a difficult spell last season and has been heavily linked with a move away from Old Trafford, but the report claims that he will lose the captaincy this week regardless of whether or not he is sold.

Maguire is set to lose the captaincy at Manchester United

The 30-year-old joined the Red Devils from Leicester City back in 2018 for a fee of £80 million – a world record fee for a defender.

He was a regular for United during his first four seasons in Manchester, but he lost his starting spot last term with Ten Hag instead opting to select Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane.

Maguire started just eight Premier League games last season, making 31 appearances across all competitions.

Last term, Ten Hag also selected Victor Lindelof ahead of Maguire on several occasions, and even fielded left-back Luke Shaw as a makeshift central defender on a number of occasions.

Midfielder Bruno Fernandes was often given the captaincy in Maguire’s absence last season, and the report claims that the Portugal international is most likely to be given the responsibility on a permanent basis.

Fernandes made 59 appearances across all competitions last term, and captained Ten Hag’s side on more than 40 occasions.