EXCLUSIVE
Claim
Rene Meulensteen believes Bruno Fernandes could replace Harry Maguire as Manchester United captain on a full-time basis.
The Portugal playmaker will captain the club for the first time with Maguire ruled out of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain.
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Fernandes has scored 15 goals in 27 matches since joining United in an initial £47million deal from Sporting Lisbon in January.
And former United coach Meulensteen agrees with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s decision to hand the 26-year-old the armband in Paris.
He told talkSPORT: “Bruno is an excellent choice because since he’s come to the club, he has given United what they were lacking.
“Some urgency, he plays with conviction, he plays with authority, he drives other players on.
“He’s a positive influence every time he steps on the pitch - and he’s not afraid to tell players when they don’t meet the standards.
“He’s got high standards about himself because you can see if he does miss a pass, he gets annoyed with himself and he will be the same with other players.
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“Although he will say it, he’s not a negative person.
“He’s a very positive influence in the dressing room, players look up to him because he has proved to be such an important player for the team.”
Along with Maguire, United will also be without Mason Greenwood, Eric Bailly, Jesse Lingard and new signing Edinson Cavani for their Champions League opener.
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Asked if he can see Fernandes replacing Maguire as permanent captain, Meulensteen said: “For me, I can see that because he’s been very consistent.
"He plays every game, his performances are nine out of ten. He always has an impact on the game.
“You want to have players [where you can say], ‘he’s on the pitch, the captain’s on the pitch, he will carry us over the line.’”