Raphael Varane opens up on Man Utd captaincy switch

For the upcoming season, Erik ten Hag has dropped Harry Maguire as Manchester United’s captain.

Raphael Varane has praised Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag for his decisive leadership style.

Ten Hag recently appointed Bruno Fernandes as captain over Harry Maguire. The decision is perhaps one of the Dutchman’s biggest moves yet. He has some daring choices since his appointment last year, including dropping a certain Cristiano Ronaldo from the squad.

Speaking to ESPN about Ten Hag’s latest decision, Varane said: “He’s not scared to take these decisions and take that responsibility. That is what we expect from the manager.

“He knows exactly what he wants. He’s shown that determination and from the first day we’ve known exactly what we’ve had to do and where he wants to go. It’s all clear for the players and for the team.”

Under Ten Hag last season, United won the Carabao Cup and secured a Champions League spot with a third-place Premier League finish.

With the recent additions of Mason Mount and Andre Onana, the team aims to go even better in 2023/24. Varane himself feels the squad is getting closer to mounting a serious challenge. The Red Devils are currently in New Jersey ahead of a friendly against Arsenal at the MetLife Stadium on Saturday.