Ralf Rangnick has asked Harry Maguire to step down from the role of the captain of Manchester United owing to his recent run of poor form. The German is hopeful that a brief spell away from the spotlight, until the end of the season, would help him regain his confidence.
However, Maguire is reluctant to give up the captain’s armband amidst fears that he might lose the captaincy permanently. Since his return, Cristiano Ronaldo has been a leader in the locker room which has left the Englishman feeling undermined.
As a result, Ronaldo will be the next to captain the club if Harry Maguire indeed steps down.
Cristiano Ronaldo could replace Harry Maguire as Man Utd skipper
After Ashley Cole left the club, Harry Maguire was appointed as the captain of the club under Ole Gunnar Solskjær in his debut season. However, his time at Manchester United has led to mixed reactions from fans.
With Ronaldo captaining the Portugal national team, and entrusted to mentor the younger players in the team as well, it is natural that he be trusted to wear the armband. Although Rangnick acknowledged that he saw no reason to change captains earlier in the season, things look different now.
There have also been rumours which state that the Manchester United dressing room is divided. But, Marcus Rashford has rubbished these claims. Ronaldo has also been critical of Rangnick being in charge of the team, but will potentially be seeing out the season as the captain of the club.