Three possible candidates for Manchester United's next captain

Karan Tejwani

• 28 Apr 2022 11:28 BST
• 3 min read

Ralf Rangnick has suggested that Manchester United players should vote for the club’s captain, should Harry Maguire lose the armband in the upcoming season under Erik ten Hag.

Speaking at a press conference before his side’s clash against Chelsea, Rangnick said the team should use the German method of voting for a new captain, should the incoming coach decide he needs a new leader.

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Maguire’s poor form this season combined with recent injury problems have led to many calls for him to be stripped of captaincy, and the English defender could possibly even leave the club.

Who could be Manchester United's next captain?

Here are three possible options for the armband in the future.

Bruno Fernandes

Bruno Fernandes may not be having the best season, but in his time at the club, there has been no player more consistent than him in that period in terms of output.

The Portuguese midfielder has also been the stand-in captain whenever Maguire hasn’t played, and that could swing plenty of favour his way.

He’s also often seen as the leader in the squad without the armband, and seems to have built a good rapport with the rest of the squad in the two years he has been at the club.

David de Gea

Only Phil Jones has been at Manchester United as long as David de Gea – the Spanish goalkeeper joined the club in the summer of 2011 and has undoubtedly been their best player in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson years.

In previous years, De Gea has held the armband on occasion, however, it’s still not common to see goalkeepers having the armband on a permanent basis, so that may go against him.

There are also doubts over his role under Ten Hag, as it’s likely he’ll prefer a goalkeeper better with his feet and De Gea’s long-term future is uncertain.

Raphael Varane

Apart from Cristiano Ronaldo, who could possibly leave in the summer if United miss out on the Champions League, no player in the squad is as decorated as Raphael Varane.

The Frenchman has won it all at club and international level, and that sort of experience is valuable in a captain.

However, he’s missed many parts of this season due to injury, and that could be a worry in the long-run.