"Not a lot of players who are distinguished" - Former Manchester United star speaks about Harry Maguire continuing to be the captain

Former Manchester United defender Mikaël Silvestre has expressed his opinion on Erik ten Hag’s decision to retain Harry Maguire as the Red Devils captain. He is in favor of the decision stating there aren't too many other players in the current squad worthy of wearing the armband.

The new Red Devils boss announced earlier this week that Maguire will continue to wear the armband at Old Trafford. The England international was given the armband by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after Ashley Young left the club in 2020.

However, the former Leicester City defender has struggled to impress in a Manchester United shirt and has been severely criticized for his mediocre performances. Silvestre has backed Ten Hag’s decision to keep the 29-year-old as the skipper of his former club.

The former French defender has insisted that there are not too many players in the dressing room who could replace Maguire rightaway as captain. He told Lord Ping:

“At this moment, there’s not a lot of players who are distinguished and who could be captain straight away."

“It’s easy to have continuity with Harry as he’s respected in the dressing room."

Silvestre has also urged the fans to give Maguire time to prove himself under the new manager.

The former Red Devils defender has insisted that senior players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Raphael Varane and David de Gea are all leaders in their own right. He expects them to take on more responsibility.

He added:

“We need to give him time to get back to his best so it’s the right call at the moment for the manager."

“What United have is many players who are leaders, Cristiano, Bruno, Varane or David could all be captains.You have all these experienced guys who have to take responsibility.”

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Can Harry Maguire once again lead Manchester United to the top?

There should be no denying the fact that Maguire had an extremely underwhelming 2021-22 season, where Manchester United conceded a whopping 57 goals, the most in their Premier League history.

The Englishman became the most expensive defender in the world after his mammoth £78.3 million move. However, his performances on the pitch have not done justice to his record-breaking price tag.

Nevertheless, the 29-year-old was instrumental in United finishing second in the 2020-21 season and reaching the finals of the Europa League. He has been one of the best players in an England shirt over the last few years and has also guided them to the Euro 2020 final.

The Englishman has made 144 appearances across competitions for the club till date. Ten Hag is known for getting the best out of his players and he may bring out the best version of Maguire that United fans have yearned to see.