Harry Maguire could be stripped of Man United captaincy, but who could replace him?

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has been at the centre of a controversy this week after his tussle with the Greek police in Mykonos. In a hearing this week, a court in Syros found the 27-year-old guilty of assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery. The court subsequently handed a Harry Maguire jail sentence of 21 months and 10 days, which will be suspended as it is his first offence. However, with the court finding the Red Devils star guilty, his stint as Man United captain is in doubt, months after becoming the full-time captain in January. 

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Harry Maguire dropped: Harry Maguire jail sentence puts captaincy in jeopardy 

After the Harry Maguire case saw the 27-year-old found guilty, reports emerged that the Manchester United could strip him of his captaincy. The England international signed for Manchester United for a world-record £80 million fee in the summer and six months into his debut season, the former Leicester City man was given the armband. However, with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer having set high standards for players both on and off the field, the Harry Maguire jail sentence could see him give up the armband. 

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Manchester United news: Red Devils set to back Harry Maguire as captain

Manchester United released a statement after the Harry Maguire jail term was announced, and the Premier League giants revealed that the central defender and his legal team intended to appeal the charges and presented their full support to the 27-year-old. The Red Devils believe there is evidence that sheds light on the actual events of last Thursday night, which were heard during the rushed trial. MEN Sport reports that despite the Harry Maguire jail term, the England international will remain captain in the short term. It is believed that there is no abrupt decision planned by United to strip Maguire of his captaincy, nor will any 'emergency' meeting take place in the coming days. 

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Harry Maguire dropped by Gareth Southgate for Nations League games

England boss Gareth Southgate named Harry Maguire in his initial Three Lions squad for the upcoming games against Iceland and Denmark. However, events in court and the subsequent verdict saw Harry Maguire dropped by England, giving the 27-year-old time to rest and reflect on the incident in Mykonos. Southgate said that he consulted with the 27-year-old and saw that it was in the best interest of all parties to drop him from the squad. The Three Lions boss will now rely on Eric Dier, Joe Gomez, Michael Keane and Tyrone Mings as centre-back options for the upcoming matches.

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Harry Maguire dropped: Who could replace him as captain at Old Trafford?

If Manchester United do strip Harry Maguire of his captaincy, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has a lot of options to choose from in his squad. While Juan Mata, Axel Tuanzebe and Nemanja Matic have all sported the armband, none of them is a regular fixture in the starting XI. Paul Pogba is a likely candidate for captaincy, having been handed the captaincy briefly under Jose Mourinho, while January signing Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford could also be made captain. David de Gea, the longest-serving member in the current squad also presents himself as an option, but his indifferent form and uncertain future make him an unlikely candidate. 

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(Image Courtesy: Harry Maguire Instagram)