Rio Ferdinand has claimed that is was a mistake to make Harry Maguire Manchester United captain with the former Red Devil believing that David de Gea should have received the armband instead.
Maguire took over the captaincy from Ashley Young in January 2020, less than six months after his £80million move to United from Leicester.
But the England international has received widespread criticism throughout United’s struggling campaign.
Rio Ferdinand has claimed he would have chose David de Gea (right) over Harry Maguire (left) for Man United captain
Some fans have called for Maguire to have the captaincy taken away from him at Old Trafford and reports emerged in October that an unnamed team-mate questioned questioned Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s call to hand him the armband.
United have kept just four clean sheets with the 28-year-old in the side but Ferdinand believes it is hard for interim boss Ralf Rangnick to leave him on the bench as captain.
‘The fact that he has had the armband has given him that grace. Which it would do. I think he was given it too early,’ Ferdinand told Vibe with Five.
Rio Ferdinand (left) claimed it was too early for the defender to take over the captaincy
‘It’s a hard enough job coming into Manchester United, getting your feet under the table and stating to feel comfortable as it as without the added pressure of being captain.
‘Being captain is a massive responsibility, there is history that goes with it, a big weight on your shoulders.
‘You need to experience being there for a period of time to carry that weight. It was more important for Maguire to come in and concentrate on becoming a Manchester United mainstay than being captain.’
Goalkeeper De Gea is the club’s longest-serving player, alongside Phil Jones, who has not featured in the first-team since January 2020.
The ex-defender revealed the Spaniard would have been his choice as it was too much pressure for Maguire at a new club
The Spain international was part of the side that last won the Premier League in 2013 and Ferdinand has said De Gea would have been his pick.
The former defender: ‘The thing you can counter that with, is that there weren’t many captains at the club, who else are they going to pick?
‘David de Gea would have been my choice because of the time he’s been there and he knows what it takes to win.
‘This is all with hindsight but you have to got to think about these times that might come with someone like Harry Maguire, new at the club in that sense. And that added pressure is weighing on him heavily at the moment.’
