Liverpool legend Graeme Souness and Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag (Pictures: Getty)
Graeme Souness believes Erik ten Hag should strip Bruno Fernandes of the Manchester United captaincy, claiming he lacks leadership skills and ‘cannot change’.
Fernandes has been United club captain since Ten Hag took the armband off experienced defender Harry Maguire in July 2023.
Despite being one of the most influential players at Old Trafford, Fernandes’ role as captain has been questioned by several pundits.
Souness says Fernandes has a habit of ‘throwing the towel in’ and believes he ‘cannot change’ this aspect of his game which he claims makes him an ineffective captain.
‘When you look at leaders in the modern game, one example is at Manchester United, which is one of the biggest institutions in world football,’ Souness said on the Three Up Front podcast.
‘The club captain is Bruno Fernandes. When they were 3-0 down against Liverpool a couple of seasons ago, he just threw the towel in… he’s the captain!
‘If anything, he should still be contributing, running around with enthusiasm and helping his teammates.
Bruno Fernandes was appointed United captain by Ten Hag (Picture: Getty)
‘I don’t think Fernandes can change that aspect of himself – it’s part of him. When he’s shrugging his shoulders and throwing his arms around, that’s just him.’
Could Bruno Fernandes leave Manchester United?
Fernandes has been tentatively linked with a move away from Old Trafford after refusing to rule out the possibility of a summer departure earlier this year.
French champions Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly expressed interest in signing Fernandes, who has also been linked with several clubs in Saudi Arabia.
But Manchester United legend Steve Bruce says it is imperative that Fernandes stays at the club.
Asked about the speculation over Fernandes’ future, Bruce told talkSPORT: ‘He cannot leave.
‘Look, for me, the one shining light in the last few years at Manchester United has been Bruno.
‘I mean, he plays with huge intensity. Yes, he gets a bit frustrated at times and can be a bit petulant at times, but in terms of a footballer, just look at the statistics…
‘He plays 50 games a season and he scores 15 to 20 goals a season and is at the top of the assists too. He is a top, top player… you don’t want to be losing him.’
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