Midfielder Bruno Fernandes revealed that he still maintains a good relationship and was congratulated by his predecessor Harry Maguire, after becoming the new captain of Man Utd.
"Maguire congratulated me and said he was really happy for me," Fernandes said after the 2-0 friendly win over Arsenal in New Jersey on July 22. "I understand Maguire's position is not the best at the moment. It's difficult for him, but Maguire congratulated me. It's nice because we've always had a good relationship."
On July 20, Man Utd's website announced that Fernandes would become the club's official captain, replacing Maguire from the 2023-2024 season. The Portuguese midfielder revealed that coach Erik ten Hag had held a meeting to directly announce this decision to the entire team.
Maguire once admitted to being very disappointed when coach Ten Hag stripped him of the captaincy and gave it to Bruno Fernandes. Photo: AFP
"Everyone knew about Maguire's situation, but no one knew who would be the next captain. So Ten Hag announced the decision in a meeting with all the members," Fernandes said. He said he was very proud and emphasized that being captain of Man Utd was a great honor and something he had never dreamed of, and thanked his family for always being by his side.
According to Fernandes, he was chosen by coach Ten Hag as the new captain of Man Utd because of his discipline, dedication, passion and good performance last season. The 28-year-old midfielder affirmed that he will not change his style and wants to lead Man Utd to greater success.
Bruno Fernandes (red shirt, left) wearing the Man Utd captain's armband took a souvenir photo before the 2-0 win over Arsenal in New Jersey on July 22. Photo: manutd.com
In fact, Fernandes wore the captain's armband several times for Man Utd last season, as Maguire's form declined and he failed to maintain his official position. The Portuguese midfielder scored 14 and assisted 15 goals in 59 matches in all competitions, helping Man Utd finish third in the Premier League, return to the Champions League, win the League Cup and reach the FA Cup final. Fernandes believes Man Utd had a good season in his first year working with Ten Hag, and wants the team to continue to improve and fight for every title next season.
In his first match as official captain of Man Utd, Fernandes scored a beautiful long-range goal to help the "Red Devils" beat Arsenal 2-0 to maintain their winning streak in the pre-season, after defeating Lyon 1-0 and Leeds 2-0. Ten Hag was satisfied with the victory over Arsenal, praising the team's proactive play both with and without the ball.
Main events of the match Arsenal 0-2 Man Utd.
After the win over Arsenal, Man Utd continued their summer training period with friendly matches against Wrexham on July 25, Real Madrid on July 26, Dortmund on July 30, Lens on August 5 and Bilbao on August 6. Of these, the match against Lens was the only one taking place at Old Trafford.
Hong Duy
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