“Probably shouldn’t have…”: Harry Maguire explains how he lost United captaincy under Erik ten Hag

Harry Maguire signed a contract extension with Manchester United last month, adding further intrigue to his already topsy-turvy spell at Old Trafford. Stripped of the captaincy in the summer of 2023 and pushed to the brink of an exit, it is a testament to the player’s resilience that he fought back to become a key figure in the squad in recent seasons. Maguire arrived at the Theatre of Dreams in the summer of 2019 from Leicester City as the most expensive defender in the world, a record that stands to this day. The weight of expectations generated by that label bore heavily on his shoulders at times. While the Englishman divided opinion among fans, he was an indispensable member of the starting XI during former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign. Getting the armband under Solskjaer It was the Norwegian who handed Maguire the armband in January 2020, following Ashley Young’s departure. The Englishman retained the position under Solskjaer’s temporary replacement, Ralf Rangnick, and also briefly under his successor, Erik ten Hag. Maguire even won the EFL Cup during the Dutch manager’s first season at the Theatre of Dreams, where the Red Devils finished third in the league table. By then, though, he had fallen behind Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane in the pecking order at Old Trafford. Ten Hag opted for a change in captaincy before the beginning of the 2023/24 campaign, handing Bruno Fernandes the armband. The Englishman has now shed light on how the circumstances unfolded and his reaction to the decision. Harry Maguire Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesStartsGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played Premier League191512311,295′ EFL Cup111—90′ FA Cup10–1-11′ Total211622411,396′ Source: Transfermarkt. Maguire loved being captain Speaking to Arsenal legend Ian Wright on My Best Coach podcast, Maguire acknowledged that he was initially naïve to the external pressure at United. He said: “I really don’t worry about anything. I’m not fazed by anything. I was a little bit naive. I think that it helped me that I was so naive because I was the captain of Manchester United, we were having a real bad season, and I just thought it was normal.” “I was naive to that, you’re the captain it’s going to come down on you, and this is the reason they’re doing it. It was only when I looked back a couple of years later or a year later when I thought it was a bit over the top. It just got to a point where it was all for clicks. It was harder for my family.” The English defender went on to reveal that his relationship with Ten Hag was affected by his reduced minutes on the pitch, adding: “I loved being the captain. I can’t remember the league position we finished when I was captain, but it was progressing.” “To be honest, it was Erik’s decision and the season before we finished third, won the cup and I was captain. I didn’t feel like his captain. I probably shouldn’t have allowed our relationship to drift apart a little bit, but I just didn’t feel important to him. For Erik it was the right decision because I wasn’t his captain.” Final Thoughts Maguire was outstanding under former head coach Ruben Amorim and remains as crucial as ever under caretaker manager Michael Carrick. With young defenders like Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven in the squad, United’s decision to extend his stay until at least the end of next season looks like a wise one. Harry Maguire’s duelling vs. Brentford… On the ground: WonWonWonWon In the air: WonLostWonWonWon Dominant display. 🪨 pic.twitter.com/pV9RWVn7kX — Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) April 27, 2026 Feature image Naomi Baker via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.