Ruben Amorim now needs Bruno Fernandes to show why he made the right decision to keep him as Manchester United captain after his arrival at Old Trafford.
Bruno Fernandes became Manchester United captain in 2023 under former Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag, who had stripped Harry Maguire of the club’s armband.
The 30-year-old United midfielder’s captaincy has been questioned at times, including for Fernandes’ emotionally-charged responses on the pitch.
However, there is no denying that Fernandes’ wildly influential United first-team presence and impact have made him the only candidate for the club captaincy.
Erik ten Hag’s reign as United manager ended last October and the former Ajax boss’ sacking paved the way for Ruben Amorim’s arrival from Sporting CP.
Amorim changed United’s playing style with his tactical system, but not even the former Sporting CP head coach was ready to replace Fernandes as club captain.
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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim with Bruno Fernandes during the Carabao Cup quarter-final match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
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What Alejandro Garnacho has now done is something that Bruno Fernandes and Ruben Amorim cannot overlook at Man Utd
Alejandro Garnacho has now found himself in the firing line once again after the Manchester United and Argentina winger sparked backlash on social media.
The Spain-born attacker shared a photo on his social media of himself wearing an Aston Villa shirt while on holiday, which featured Marcus Rashford’s name and number.
Alejandro Garnacho, who has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford, made the post on Instagram, but it has since been deleted from the platform.
Alejandro Garnacho’s now-deleted Instagram post about Manchester United and Aston Villa player Marcus Rashford.
Alejandro Garnacho’s now-deleted Instagram post about Manchester United and Aston Villa player Marcus Rashford.
Marcus Rashford has been on loan at Aston Villa and the 27-year-old United player reacted to the sign of support from Garnacho in the now-deleted Instagram post.
“My brother,” he commented on Garnacho’s message, adding a love heart emoji.
BBC Sport reported that sources have suggested that Garnacho’s photo – wearing Villa’s home shirt with the No 9 on the back – was ‘merely’ a ‘supportive’ post.
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What Bruno Fernandes must do with Alejandro Garnacho after his Man Utd teammate’s Marcus Rashford-inspired post
Alejandro Garnacho’s future at United is shrouded in mystery after his relationship with Ruben Amorim fractured towards the tail end of the 2024-25 season.
The 20-year-old has been linked with Napoli and Chelsea in recent months and Garnacho was deeply critical of Amorim dropping him for the Europa League final.
Garnacho could be shown the door at Old Trafford this summer, but Bruno Fernandes really needs to show his true leadership amid the situation right now.
So long as the Argentina international is still a United player under Amorim, then Fernandes has every right to question Garnacho over his behaviour off the field.
Fernandes needs to find his inner Roy Keane and borrow a page from the playbook of the United legend by holding Garnacho accountable over his social media activity.
Irrespective of whether Garnacho stays or leaves, Fernandes needs to put his backing behind Amorim and instil a culture that follows the captain’s high standards.
United fans are fed up with the drama around Old Trafford after a lacklustre 2024-25 Premier League, but Fernandes has to say something to Garnacho about his actions.