Jose Mourinho has hinted that Manchester United may be ready to extend the contract of veteran Michael Carrick. The 35-year-old will be out of contract in the summer. He signed a one-year deal only in the summer when Jose Mourinho came to the club. The new contract is likely to be of a similar length considering his age.
Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Saturday means that José Mourinho’s team have managed just one league win in the last five matches. However, the result does not justify their performance as it was one of the complete performances from the Red Devils this season. The team had enough attacking threat coupled with incredible defensive solidarity. It is a major shift from the early season form when the club was struggling for direction at either end of the pitch.
The change in fortunes over the last few weeks have largely come as a result of a cohesive midfield of Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba dominating the matches. Ander Herrera and Pogba have been in the United team since the start, but it is the addition of the character that has provided a level head to the incredible talent possessed by the two midfielders. Carrick has grown in stature over the last few years. He has clearly learned a lot from Paul Scholes, who is one of the masters at controlling the game from a deep-lying position.
At 35 years of age, it is clear that he cannot play in every game and Mourinho stressed this element when hinting at the possibility of a new contract. As cited by Teamtalk, Mourinho said:
“Michael is 35 years old. It is very sad to know that time flies for everyone of us. He is such a fantastic player and it is a pity, I always loved him, but instead of being his manager when he was 25 I am his manager when he is 35.
“We have a good understanding. We know when he can play. We know when he is ready and when he needs a rest. I am still having Michael Carrick and probably for one more season.”
Mourinho seems quite happy with the way the midfield has been functioning of late. After the 3-1 win against Swansea just before the international break, United were set to face one of their biggest tests this season in the form of Arsenal. The Red Devils performed exceptionally throughout the 90 minutes to come within a few minutes of beating Arsenal for the first time since the opening day.
Purely in terms of statistics, Carrick was not the outstanding midfielder for United as the accolades went to Herrera and Pogba. However, his presence allowed the duo to get forward with the knowledge that a player with an experience of more than 650 games was protecting the back four. There is no substitute for experience, and Carrick is one of the winners in the squad.
Since joining United in 2006, Carrick has managed five Premier League titles, one Champions League medal, and one FA Cup title.
Carrick looks unlikely to play in the midweek game against Feyenoord, as Mourinho will want to keep him fresh for the home game against West Ham on Sunday.
