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Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has made it clear that the captaincy function won’t change Bruno Fernandes in any respect and the midfielder will nonetheless stay the identical individual he was.
Throughout United’s pre-season tour of america, Fernandes was formally confirmed because the membership’s new skipper.
Harry Maguire was stripped of the armband after failing to nail down a daily beginning berth beneath Ten Hag because the Dutchman’s arrival final summer season.
Maguire is now inching nearer to an exit away from Outdated Trafford, with West Ham his virtually sure subsequent vacation spot.
The Peoples Individual lined a report which acknowledged that the England worldwide could possibly be appointed West Ham captain by David Moyes if he joins the ranks on the London Stadium.
Ten Hag spoke to Premier League Productions and backed Fernandes to be his consultant on the pitch.
He mentioned, “I believe that’s the reason he’s captain, as a result of he has an excellent character. He’s a personality and he desires to contribute in his solution to the staff. And it doesn’t change when the function is modified, as a result of he’s now formally captain: final yr, for a lot of the video games, he was carrying the [arm]band.”
“I believe each participant at all times can enhance and likewise Bruno. Certainly one of his nice expertise is emotion and soccer wants emotion. If you wish to carry out, you want that emotion within the recreation to win video games – and high soccer is barely about profitable video games.”
Ten Hag added, “However some moments you’ve got to pay attention to it. You need to management it, to maintain the technique within the recreation and suppose steadily. Yeah, [he] undoubtedly could make a step, however I believe, final yr already, he was on the way in which to creating an enormous step in that respect.”
The 53-year-old coach warned that regardless of his newfound duties, Fernandes’s main goal is to stay impactful on the pitch and give you the products.
Based on the United supervisor, he expects the Portuguese to excel in urgent, counter-pressing, attacking transitions and in executing key actions in entrance of purpose by registering objectives and assists.
Ten Hag additionally acknowledged that Fernandes’ angle is such that he’ll solely get higher and extra refined as he ages.
The playmaker will lead his staff out for the primary time because the official captain on Monday when the Crimson Devils face Wolves at Outdated Trafford for his or her opening Premier League tie.
