Manchester United midfielder Micheal Carrick has admitted that he might leave the club at the end of the season which would draw the curtains on his decade-long Manchester United career.
The 35-year-old’s current contract with the club runs out next June and with age not on his side anymore, the veteran midfielder might have to look at his options at the end of the season.
Lack of game time this season
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Carrick moved to United during the 2006 summer transfer window from Tottenham and was a key player for the club during Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign. He has made 432 appearances for the club in all competitions and has won numerous trophies, including five Premier League titles and one UEFA Champions League crown.
Carrick started for The Devils in their last league game against Swansea, which is his only start in the league this season and is in contention for a place in the United starting line-up for the visit of Arsenal this Saturday. However, if Marouane Fellaini is fit and available for selection, Carrick would probably drop to the bench.
Also read: Analysis: The ideal insurance provider - Why Michael Carrick must start against Arsenal
With manager Jose Mourinho opting to play the likes of Paul Pogba, Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini in the United midfield, the 35-year-old would be realistic of the fact that his time with the club is probably up.
“It is such a great club with great players, you can't take it for granted and thankfully I'm here this season and playing my part,” Carrick told Sky Sports. “Hopefully I can play more of a part in the months ahead, strive for success and try to get some sort of silverware, because winning trophies is why we are here. Yeah, but I'm 35 now and I have to be realistic. I'm not going to make predictions about what is going to be happening next season.”
He continued, “We are not even at Christmas yet and I just want to play as many games as I can and see how I'm feeling, how the body is feeling. That is the biggest gauge to see if I can still do it if I feel I can still do it and the manager feels that. There is a lot of things to come into the equation, so I'm not going to be making any rash judgements just yet.”
Backs Pogba to come good
Also, Carrick backed world record signing Paul Pogba to find his feet at the club pretty soon and be a key player for the Red Devils in the coming seasons.
"The attributes he has are incredible. We all saw the game against Swansea and physically he is pretty much perfect such a specimen," Carrick said. "He can cover ground but the ability he has got is something very special. At the same time, it is not an easy thing to come into and hit the ground running, be at top form. Changing leagues, changing countries, there are all sorts of things that come into it," added the Englishman.
The Red Devils are currently 6th in the league table and are 8 points behind leaders Liverpool. The upcoming match against Arsenal will be the latest episode in the Mourinho vs Wenger saga and is a must-win game for both sides.
(Video courtesy: LA.VQ YouTube channel)
