Fernandes reveals 'awkward' first conversation with Maguire after taking Manchester United captaincy

Bruno Fernandes has admitted feeling “awkward” when he was handed the Manchester United captaincy after Harry Maguire was stripped of the armband by Erik ten Hag in 2023 — but says Maguire’s dignified response immediately put him at ease.

Speaking in an interview with LIFEJACKET, the Portugal midfielder revealed he had not yet spoken to Maguire when the club first approached him about taking over. “To be honest, [when] I got asked if I wanted to be captain of the club, it was a bit awkward for me because obviously I hadn’t spoken to Harry about it,” Fernandes said. “But he already knew it before me, so I think the manager spoke with him before speaking with me.”

Maguire, 31, who signed a new one-year contract extension on Friday, took the initiative to address the situation directly. “He was very good, he came and talked to me about it and he said that if he had to lose the armband, it would go to someone like me,” Fernandes recalled. “So that made me a little bit more relaxed about the situation.”

Fernandes, also 31, was keen to stress that Maguire has remained an integral part of the leadership group at Old Trafford. “I’ve always made Harry aware [he’s] part of the captain’s armband, too, because I think he deserves that respect in terms of everything he’s done for the club and everything he’s done also for me since I came to the club.”

The reigning Premier League Player of the Year acknowledged the weight of joining a long line of iconic United skippers, describing it as a significant personal milestone. He noted that the most tangible change since taking the armband has been an increase in media commitments, while his approach inside the dressing room has remained largely consistent with how he operated before.

Maguire had served as United captain since 2019 but was relieved of the role amid a dip in form that drew sustained scrutiny from supporters and pundits alike. The manner in which both players handled the transition has, by Fernandes’ account, preserved a close working relationship that continues to benefit the squad.