Harry Maguire reveals how he lost United captaincy under Ten Hag
Harry Maguire reveals how he lost United captaincy under Ten Hag Harry Maguire signed a contract extension with Manchester United last month, adding further intrigue to his already topsy-turvy spell at Old Trafford. Stripped of the captaincy in the summer of 2023 and pushed to the brink of an exit, it is a testament to the player’s resilience that he fought back to become a key figure in the squad in recent seasons. Maguire arrived at the Theatre of Dreams in the summer of 2019 from Leicester City as the most expensive defender in the world, a record that stands to this day.
The weight of expectations generated by that label bore heavily on his shoulders at times. While the Englishman divided opinion among fans, he was an indispensable member of the starting XI during former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign. Getting the armband under Solskjaer It was the Norwegian who handed Maguire the armband in January 2020, following Ashley Young’s departure.
The Englishman retained the position under Solskjaer’s temporary replacement, Ralf Rangnick, and also briefly under his successor, Erik ten Hag. Maguire even won the EFL Cup during the Dutch manager’s first season at the Theatre of Dreams, where the Red Devils finished third in the league table. By then, though, he had fallen behind Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane in the pecking order at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag opted for a change in captaincy before the beginning of the 2023/24 campaign, handing Bruno Fernandes the armband. The Englishman has now shed light on how the circumstances unfolded and his reaction to the decision. Harry Maguire Stats: 2025/26 Season Source: Transfermarkt .
Maguire loved being captain Speaking to Arsenal legend Ian Wright on My Best Coach podcast, Maguire acknowledged that he was initially naïve to the external pressure at United. He said: “I really don’t worry about anything. I’m not fazed by anything.