"You have to go through these moments to improve yourself" - Wayne Rooney says he has spoken to under-fire Manchester United star 'a lot of times'

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire is under scrutiny this season for his inconsistent performances. However, Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has revealed that footballers have to go through these moments to improve themselves.

Speaking to Daily Star Sport, Rooney revealed how he reached out to Maguire to show support when the defender was arrested in Greece. Rooney said:

I've spoken to Harry a lot of times. I spoke to Harry a lot. Very good conversations with him, you see, with the incident in Greece, things on football as well. So I speak to Harry on things and try and help him give him advice, of course. But he is his own person and a Man United captain in his own right. Sometimes you have to go through these moments to improve yourself."

The incident in Greece that Wayne Rooney was mentioning happened during the summer of 2021 following the Euros when Harry Maguire went to Greece on vacation. He was found guilty of aggravated assault after he allegedly hit a police officer and was arrested following an altercation. Maguire, who launched an appeal against the verdict, is still waiting for it to be heard in court.

Maguire has had a terrible season so far for the Red Devils. The England international has been inconsistent with his performances and has been criticized for his poor leadership skills. Many fans are fuming at the club for not stripping Maguire of the captain's armband as he has clearly lacked confidence this season.

Will Ralf Rangnick strip Manchester United star Harry Maguire of the captaincy?

The majority of United fans want Ralf Rangnick to hand the armband to someone who has better leadership qualities than the England international. With the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes in the squad, United could consider making a change.

However, as it stands, there won't be any change in the captaincy this season as Rangnick has mentioned many times that Maguire will be the captain when he is on the pitch.

A change in captaincy could be considered when United appoint a new permanent manager in the summer. Until then, it looks like Harry Maguire will remain the captain at Manchester United.