Man Utd midfielder Michael Carrick will close the curtains on a glittering career and stint at Old Trafford at the end of the season, and his next job is reportedly being lined up.
The 36-year-old joined the Red Devils in 2006, and has gone on to make 463 appearances for the club while winning a whole host of major honours.
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Those include five Premier League titles, the Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup, and so he has undoubtedly written his name into club folklore as a key figure in a very successful era.
However, he has confirmed that he will hang up his boots this summer, ending a great career and raising question marks as to what he’ll do next.
The expectation has been that he will join Jose Mourinho’s coaching staff and remain a key figure at Old Trafford, but the Manchester Evening News claim that a more important role is being lined up for him.
That role is the U23s job, which would give the veteran a key position in helping to develop the upcoming talent at the club and ensuring that they can make the step up to senior level.
“It’s kind of been sorted out, but we’re still talking about it so there is nothing to totally confirm yet,” Carrick said when asked what his retirement reward would be at the club, the report notes. “It’s looking likely.”
Drawing on all the experience that he has built up over his 12-year stint with Man Utd, Carrick is undoubtedly aware of what it takes to make the grade. Whether or not he is able to identify and develop young talent remains to be seen, but it might not be too long before we find out.
Having spoken about helping with the development of Scott McTominay and Andre Gomes in the past, the youngsters should certainly be looking up to the United stalwart who may well have built up great knowledge of coaching under Sir Alex Ferguson and those who have followed.