A report claiming Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Maguire being locked in a tussle over the Manchester United captaincy has been a hot topic of discussion and debate. 12 years after his departure from Old Trafford, Ronaldo returned to the United camp on deadline day in the summer transfer window. He has been able to score 15 goals across all competitions for the Red Devils, which puts him in pole position for taking charge of the team.
The Mirror said on Thursday Ronaldo and Maguire have been in conversation with interim boss Ralf Rangnick about the shift in power. The idea behind Ronaldo given the leadership role is to take the pressure off Maguire, whose presence in the dressing room has been eclipsed by the arrival of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
But Maguire has denied the rumour that there is a rift between him and Ronaldo over the captain’s armband. The England international has been quick to dismiss the report, posting on social media: “I’ve seen a lot of reports about this club that aren’t true and this is another.
“Not going to start posting about everything that is written but I needed to make this one clear. We’re united and focused on Sunday. Enjoy your day everyone.”
Maguire has made more than 100 appearances in all competitions for United and was named club captain in January 2020 by former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He is not the first Manchester United star to quash reports of a split in the club. Marcus Rashford on Tuesday hit back at claims that he and Maguire were not happy with the way Ronaldo was influencing the side. ‘Are we just making it up as we go along now then? Please stop looking for divides,’ he wrote on Twitter.
Maguire has been at fault for goals conceded on several occasions but has the backing of Rangnick, who recently said he does not intend to strip the defender of captaincy. “I think when he came back after his injury he did extremely well,” he told reporters ahead of their 2-0 win over Brighton.
“In the past two games, yes he had some weaker moments, against Southampton and when we conceded the goal at Burnley, but he’s our captain and I don’t see any reason to change that. He’s a player who has to develop, get better, like all the other players.”
Manchester United are fourth in the league on 43 points after 25 matches, two points ahead of fifth-placed West Ham in the Premier League point table.
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