Reo-Coker Urges Bruno Fernandes to Give Up Manchester United Captaincy

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Former West Ham United midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker has urged Bruno Fernandes to give up the Manchester United captaincy, arguing that the decision could help improve the Portuguese midfielder’s performances on the pitch.

Reo-Coker believes the responsibility of leading the Premier League club may be placing unnecessary pressure on Fernandes and that handing the armband to another player could allow him to focus more on his football.

He made the comments after Fernandes captained Manchester United to a 3-2 victory over AS Roma in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.

The Portugal international scored from the penalty spot, while his teammate Matheus Cunha netted twice to secure the victory for the Red Devils at Old Trafford.

Despite Fernandes’ contribution to the win, Reo-Coker questioned whether he was the right person to lead the team.

Speaking on CBS Sports Golazo, the former midfielder acknowledged Fernandes’ quality but suggested that the club should consider appointing another captain.

“You [Fernandes] are a great player, but you’re not going to be the leader,” Reo-Coker said.

He added that relinquishing the captaincy could remove some of the pressure on Fernandes and help him maintain greater consistency.

“Give it [Man United’s captaincy] to someone else who you can be consistent with, and just take that burden of pressure off you,” he said.

Reo-Coker’s comments have raised questions about Fernandes’ leadership role at Manchester United, although the midfielder remains an important figure in the team.