Confirming that Harry Maguire will continue as Manchester United captain suggests that Erik ten Hag is prepared to wipe the slate clean for everyone inside the dressing room this summer.
Following an incredibly difficult and forgettable 2021/22 campaign, many United supporters hoped that Maguire would be stripped of the captain's armband and it would be handed to someone else, even if United are not bursting at the seams with born leaders. David de Gea and Cristiano Ronaldo were considered as the frontrunners among the fans, but Ten Hag has made the decision to stick with Maguire.
It is a brave move, but it is one that shows Ten Hag is not afraid to make unpopular decisions. He has gone against the grain by offering his backing to Maguire and it suggests that he is not going to be controlled by what unfolded last season. He is focused on the here and now and matters he can control.
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His decision to hand Maguire the armband, therefore, suggests that other United players could benefit from Ten Hag's approach to looking to the future. Among them is Anthony Martial.
The Frenchman, who has been included in United's 31-man squad for the tour of Thailand and Australia, has struggled to live up to the billing over the last two seasons, resulting in him leaving Old Trafford and joining Spanish side Sevilla on loan back in January.
His temporary loan stint in Spain was meant to give him the boost he needed, allowing him to get his career back on track. However, the former AS Monaco man, who joined United seven years ago, failed to make any sort of impact, scoring just one goal in 12 matches. Injuries disrupted his hopes of getting into any sort of rhythm and he has returned to United with his career at a crossroads.
The general opinion is that Martial's career is only going to head in one of two possible directions this summer: be offered a new lease of life under Ten Hag or offloaded by the club once again, but this time on a permanent basis, allowing him to try and kickstart his career elsewhere.
But considering the 26-year-old has scored just nine goals in the last two seasons combined, he is not going to have suitors queuing up around the block. United would want a sizeable fee for him and they are simply not going to get it after his recent struggles over the last couple of years.
Therefore, it could be in United's best interests to allow Ten Hag the chance to try and rekindle his career over this pre-season campaign, particularly when the club has so far failed to add to its attacking ranks and travelled to Thailand without Ronaldo. Without the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, United do not have a senior out-and-out striker, meaning all of the pointers suggest that Marcus Rashford or Martial will shoulder the responsibility of playing through the middle.
Jadon Sancho is expected to continue as United's first-choice left-winger, highlighted by Ten Hag's desire to add to his right-wing options, meaning a central role could be Martial's only hope of getting his career back on track. Although he's failed to set the world alight over the last two seasons, he has shown that he has the credentials to be a regular source of goals, highlighted by his tally of 23 strikes in 2019/20.
Presuming Ten Hag sets his stall out with a 4-3-3 formation, featuring a fluid front-three, Martial could tick the box for what United need in a central striker in Ronaldo's absence. Without the former Juventus man, alternatives to lead the line are limited.
That is why Martial, if presented with an opportunity to start any of the upcoming matches against the likes of Liverpool, Melbourne Victory and Aston Villa, has to seize on that opening. A new dawn could be his last hope of saving his United career and it is important that he makes the most of it by showing the Dutchman what he is truly capable of.
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