'You don't change a club captain' - Mikel hits out at Ten Hag for stripping Maguire of Man Utd captaincy 

Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has slammed manager Erik ten Hag for stripping Harry Maguire of the Manchester United captaincy.

Few weeks before the start of the 2023-2024 season, Manchester United confirmed that Portugal international Bruno Fernandes, who already worn the armband a number of times, will captain the team on a permanent basis.

Maguire and Ten Hag do not enjoy a good relationship with the central defender making eighteen starts from a possible 73 in all competitions since the appointment of the Dutchman as United coach in 2022.

The England international was considering his options after he was informed he would no longer be Manchester United captain and was destined to leave Old Trafford in the summer window but a proposed transfer to West Ham United fell through. 

Mikel is of the opinion that Ten Hag disrespected Maguire by stripping him of the captaincy while he's still a Manchester United player.

"You don't change a club captain, you can change the pitch, you don't change a club captain if he's still there. If he's not playing he's not the captain, if he's on the pitch he's the captain," Mikel said on The Obi One pocast.

"A club captain should always remain a club captain. I'm not saying he should play, I'm saying he should remain a club captain. Once he departs the club then you can appoint another club captain."

Maguire joined Manchester United from Leicester City in August 2019 for a transfer fee of £80 million.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

Photo Credit: manutd.com

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