Former defender Paul Parker believes Harry Maguire should be stripped of the Manchester United captaincy and it should be awarded to goalkeeper David de Gea instead.
Maguire, who joined United from Leicester City in August 2019, has found himself under increasing pressure from a growing number of supporters in recent weeks following a difficult 2021/22 campaign.
After playing a key role in England's run to the final of the European Championship last summer, the centre-back, who turns 29 next month, has struggled to live up to his usual high standards, sparking constant questions about his future at Old Trafford.
His below-par performances have also carried calls for him to have the captain's armband taken away from him, despite United interim boss Ralf Rangnick, on more than one occasion, confirming that the England ace will retain the armband.
However, former Reds defender Parker believes Maguire should have the armband taken off of him and it should be passed to De Gea.
"I don't think Harry Maguire should be captain of Manchester United," Parker told BetfredTV. "I think he's got too much going on in his own game to worry about rather than trying to lead a team which he'd only just joined and in a few seconds gets the captaincy.
"I think that was more off of his price tag rather than the side of him as a person, as a leader of men. And at the moment I think the one who should be captain is the one they all respect, David De Gea.
"Because to be a captain you have to respect a player. David De Gea has to be the most respected player in that Manchester United team because he's the one who has actually kept them in the position to be fourth in the league at this moment in time."
As well as calling for Maguire, who will be hoping to help United secure a second consecutive victory when they face Leeds United at Elland Road on Sunday afternoon, to be stripped of the captain's armband, Parker believes the time has come for him to be axed from the back-four as well, suggesting that his recent performances do not warrant a place in Rangnick's starting line-up at this moment in time.
Parker added: "Maguire wouldn't be in my first choice back-four because he's not in form. He's out of form. The problem is what's been happening with Manchester United is that there have been too many players who have played for too long who have been out of form.
"Some players have earned the right because of what they've done but, after a while, I just think you need to make a change, to refresh them or to make them think that they can't just have the easy route and play week-in, week-out.
"You've got players sitting on the line who you'd lose a lot quicker than them on the pitch who have been playing horrendous."
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