5 Man Utd Stars Who Could Be Captain After Ten Hag Strips Maguire

• Harry Maguire's future at Manchester United is uncertain after playing a bit role last season
• His huge wages are a stumbling block to moving him on, and he could eventually stay at Old Trafford
• Reports from the English media claim Maguire will be stripped of the captaincy even if he stays

Harry Maguire is a man in a dilemma at Manchester United, and things could go even worse for him this window whether he leaves the club or stays, as he appears not to be in Erik ten Hag's plans.

After performing at the 2018 World Cup, he joined United from Leicester City for £80m in 2019, a world-record fee for a defender, surpassing the £75m Liverpool paid for Virgil van Dijk.

An initial show of good performances earned him captaincy after just six months under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but he has now been stripped of the captaincy as he confirmed on Twitter.

England great blames Cristiano Ronaldo for Jadon Sancho flopping at Man United

Football

Sports Brief looks at five stars who could replace him as captain if the eventualities happen, as first analysed by Mirror UK.

1. Bruno Fernandes

The obvious and most popular option, Bruno Fernandes, has been a mainstay of the United team since his move to Old Trafford in 2020. He captained the team in Maguire's absence last season, including the Carabao Cup final win over Newcastle United.

2. Luke Shaw

After David De Gea's departure on Saturday, Luke Shaw is the club's longest-serving first-team player. He looks like an ideal candidate for the captaincy, and being a vocal presence on the pitch helps, but his fitness could be problematic. He admitted to tapping up Mason Mount before the Chelsea star moved to United.

3. Raphael Varane

Varane was tipped to be France's next captain after Hugo Lloris retired before he shockingly announced to follow suit at 29. A winner and experienced defender from Real Madrid, he had shown leadership by ordering his United teammates to applaud fans after a 7-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield.

Man United draw two man goalkeeper shortlist as Andre Onana proves too expensive

Football

4. Lisandro Martinez

The Argentine defender has been a rock in the defence since his move from Ajax. He is vocal and stands up for his teammates. This is evident in the confrontation with Mount during United's 4-1 win last season, an incident revisited after the Chelsea academy star trained with United for the first time.

5. Marcus Rashford

A homegrown star from the academy and the face of the team. His reported new contract would make Rashford United's highest-paid player with a weekly wage of £375,000, and handing him the captaincy of his boyhood club will be the icing on the cake.

Another option that could be considered is Casemiro, but his lack of English language skills could prove difficult, while Mount is another option, but after fans' meltdown over handling him number 7, which the club deemed a statement, making him captain could be too far.

Video: Nigeria Star Victor Moses' Son Shows Incredible Freekick Technique During Practice

Football

Maguire receives pay rise

Sports Brief reported that Maguire received a pay rise after United qualified for the UEFA Champions League next season, thus making his exit even more difficult.

He has a contract till 2025 and is on £190,000 per week, which could rise above £200,000 due to a Champions League-linked pay rise in his contract.