Michael Carrick is all set to receive a new contract extension, according to the The Daily Mail. The Manchester United midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season. He has previously stated that United would be his last club in English football, while he has even hinted at the possibility of retirement. However, Jose Mourinho appears to have been sufficiently impressed by the 35-year-old’s contribution that he has directed the club to start contract negotiations with the player.
Both parties are confident of positive talks, and United do need the midfielder to commit to this new contract extension. After allowing Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin to leave, United are certainly short of options in the midfield. Carrick has played an immense role in the successes achieved by Manchester United in the last decade. While the club are certainly entering into a new era, the continuity provided by the 35-year-old will be invaluable. Mourinho is more than aware of this quality, which will be important even if Carrick does not play much next season.
The presence of Carrick will be able to get the best out of midfielders like Paul Pogba, who may have to go some way before being considered as the finished article.
Despite concerns about his energy levels, the 35-year-old has featured more often than not in the United first team this season. He has already racked up 27 appearances in all competitions with most of them coming from the start. He has featured in 15 Premier League games with just one of them as a substitute.
The decisive factor towards a potential deal might be the player’s wages. Carrick is one of the highest-earning midfielders at Old Trafford. When various bonuses are taken into account, his wages are reported to reach £130,000-a-week. United seem intent on paying only half of the figure. It remains to be seen if Carrick would accept such an astronomical drop in his wages knowing that he could join an MLS outfit and continue to make a similar figure. Carrick will find no shortage of options in the MLS or the Chinese Super League after having become an instantly recognisable face at Old Trafford.
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