Ralf Rangnick has dismissed speculation that he is planning to remove Harry Maguire as the captain of Manchester United.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game against Leeds United (h/t talkSPORT), Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick has rubbished rumours that he is preparing to strip Harry Maguire of captaincy duties.
Manchester United have been going through a rough patch, struggling to string together a run of victories, putting the team under intense pressure. It has also paved the way for speculation of unrest within the dressing room, with reports claiming that some of the players, including captain Maguire, are unhappy with Cristiano Ronaldo as he is trying to take control of things in the dressing room.
Marcus Rashford was quick to dismiss those reports earlier this week, while Maguire himself had taken to social media to rubbish all the allegations. Now, Manchester United manager Rangnick has also spoken out on the matter, insisting that there is no truth to these claims and he is not planning to remove Maguire as the captain and replace him with Ronaldo.
“Well to start with I must say, this is absolutely nonsense,” insisted Rangnick. “I have never spoken to any player about a chance in captaincy, Harry is aware of that and Cristiano. It’s me who decides who is captain and I don’t have to talk to anyone else about that. Harry is our captain and he will stay our captain.”
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 ?? @ManUtd https://t.co/YxLhQn8pqf
— Harry Maguire (@HarryMaguire93) February 18, 2022
“I’m not frustrated because it’s not the truth,” he continued. “Harry is the captain, it’s not an issue and hasn’t been an issue. My full focus is preparing the team in training for the next game. I have heard what is written I can only tell you from my personal experience. There were players unhappy until the close of the window because the squad was too big and players weren’t getting game time.”
Rangnick further insisted that the atmosphere within the change room was much better in recent weeks than it was in the early parts of the campaign. “The atmosphere in the dressing room is better than it was a few weeks ago for that reason,” he added. “It’s about performing well, togetherness on the pitch and winning games. They are the things we can influence.”
Manchester United have gone six games unbeaten in the Premier League but have been largely unconvincing. The only way to lay all these rumours to rest is by putting together cohesive performances on the pitch and consolidating their position in the top four.
Up next for the Red Devils is a huge clash against arch-rivals Leeds United on Sunday, and Rangnick will be hoping to secure all three points at Elland Road.
