Manchester United picks Bruno Fernandes to be its new captain

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes is the new captain of Manchester United.

The Premier League club announced the appointment on Thursday.

Fernandes has scored 64 goals with 54 assists in 185 games since joining United in 2020 from Sporting Lisbon.

Harry Maguire tweeted Sunday that he was no longer captain of United following talks with manager Erik ten Hag. The central defender made just eight league starts last season, leading to ongoing speculation over his future at Old Trafford.

In Maguire’s absence from the side last season, the 28-year-old Fernandes was most frequently appointed captain and had been widely expected to be given the permanent role. He featured in all but one of the team’s league fixtures as United finished third to return to the Champions League for the first time since 2021.

The squad arrived in the United States on Thursday for a 12-day tour, though Ten Hag will be without midfielder Fred who has remained in England because of personal reasons.

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