Louis Van Gaal has named Wayne Rooney as the captain of Manchester United, with Darren Fletcher taking the vice-captain position.
Rooney, 28, has been at Old Trafford since 2004 after his £26million move from Everton at the age of 18. He has since scored 158 goals in over 300 appearances for the club as well as lifting 5 Premier League titles. With the departure of senior players Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, Rooney has slotted into the captain’s armband for a new look United side.
Speaking to the official club website, Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal said:
“For me it’s always very important the choice of captain. Wayne has shown a great attitude towards everything he does. I have been very impressed by his professionalism and his attitude to training and to my philosophy. He is a great inspiration to the younger members of the team and I believe he will put his heart and soul into his captaincy role.
“Darren Fletcher will become the vice-captain. Darren is a natural leader and will captain the team when Wayne isn’t playing. Darren is a very experienced player and a very popular member of the dressing room, I know he will work well alongside Wayne.”
Wayne Rooney said: “It is a huge honour for me – and for my family – to be named captain of this great club. It is a role I will perform with great pride. Team spirit has always been very high in our dressing room and I am very grateful to the manager for the faith he has shown in me. I look forward to leading the team out on Saturday at our first match of the new season.”
Darren Fletcher also told the club website: “I am delighted to have been named as vice-captain. It’s a very proud moment for me and my family. Wayne and I have always worked well together and we will continue to work closely together in our new roles. I would like to thank the manager for putting his trust in me.”
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