Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick has revealed he will retire from football at the end of the season if he is not handed a new contract.
The 34-year-old is out of contract in the summer and talks with United about a renewal are yet to start, although that might be because the club are still fighting on three fronts in the business end of the season.
Carrick, who picked up his 10th major honour at United after they beat Southampton 3-2 in the EFL Cup final last weekend, will have a testimonial in June having spent the last 11 years at Old Trafford.
The England international is widely regarded as one of the most underrated players of his generation and it would be smart for United to keep one of their most experienced players around for another season at least.
“I haven’t had much of a conversation with him,” The Daily Mail quote Carrick as saying. “Obviously that will happen at some stage, pretty soon I’d have thought. That’s something I’m really relaxed about.
“I don’t think there’s many places I’d want to play, if any, after this anyway. I’ve had such a time here that I don’t think I would go elsewhere.”
Carrick started the season out of the team but his re-introduction to first-team matters coincided with their upturn in form and he has largely been credited with getting the best out of world record signing Paul Pogba this season.
In fact, with the former England international in the starting XI, United have not lost in the Premier League, compared to a 46.7% win ratio when he hasn’t started.
For more stats on Michael Carrick, click here to visit his WhoScored player page
