Erik ten Hag names new Man Utd captain for start of pre-season

Erik ten Hag chose a new Manchester United captain for the start of the club's 2024/25 pre-season programme, beginning with Monday's clash with Rosenborg.

Casemiro led a mostly young United side out for the game in the Norwegian city of Trondheim, skippering the side ahead of other senior options including Marcus Rashford and Jonny Evans. The Brazilian fan favourite previously captained the team in the Premier League against Crystal Palace in early May, although it proved a disatrous evening for both him and the club.

Mason Mount, who will be hoping for a better second season with United after injuries ravaged his debut year with the club following a £60m transfer from Chelsea, also started. Aaron Wan-Bissaka was the only other senior player to feature in the matchday squad.

The majority of the first-team are either on holiday after international duty at Euro 2024 or the Copa America this summer, or stayed behind in Manchester to work on individual fitness programmes.

That includes usual skipper Bruno Fernandes, who was in action with Portugal until the Euro quarter-finals earlier this month. Luke Shaw, Kobbie Mainoo, Diogo Dalot, Christian Eriksen, Rasmus Hojlund, Scott McTominay and new signing Joshua Zirkzee all competed at the tournament.

Lisandro Martinez and Alejandro Garnacho were both part of Argentina's victorious squad at the Copa America, which finished in the early hours of Monday morning. Facundo Pellistri was there for Uruguay, who reached the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Andre Onana, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Victor Lindelof are all training back home in Manchester. Harry Maguire is still recovering from injury.

It meant opportunities for a number of youngsters against Rosenborg. Ethan Williams and Ethan Wheatley, the latter of whom in April became United's landmark 250th Academy graduate to play for the first-team, started in a front four alongside Rashford and Mount.

Hannibal Mejbri was straight back in the starting lineup after his loan at Sevilla in the second half of last season, with a start for Will Fish at centre-back next to Evans, Sam Murray on the left of the defence, and 20-year-old Czech stopper Radek Vittek in goal. Among those named on the bench by Ten Hag was Jack Fletcher, the 17-year-old son on first-team coach Darren.

United have long had close connections with Norway, where the club boasts many loyal supporters and have made a habit of visiting in recent years – games against Leeds, Atletico Madrid, Kristiansund and Valerenga have been played in Oslo since 2017 alone.

Next up for United after Norway is a trip to Edinburgh's Murrayfield Stadium to face Rangers.

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