Jacobs reveals contract clause that will facilitate Carrick’s Man Utd sacking

Michael Carrick continues to fight for his job at Manchester United, but a contract clause could encourage the hierarchy to wield the axe.

The 45-year-old has been at the club’s helm since January, when he replaced Ruben Amorim. His arrival sparked a mid-season revival that saw the team climb from seventh to third place in the table and thus secure a Champions League berth.

However, the situation has been drastically different this term, as last season’s saviour has been left hanging by a thread.

Man Utd can mitigate Michael Carrick sack costs

After humbling back-to-back defeats to Como and Bournemouth, the Red Devils extended their winless run to eight matches across all competitions.

But while many were anticipating a Monday-morning sacking, INEOS decided to confirm Carrick, at least until Saturday’s Premier League clash at Chelsea.

However, most observers believe the Wallsend native is running on borrowed time, with the management waiting to strike an agreement with a suitable replacement before showing him the door.

The Man Utd directors will also take into consideration the financial aspect, as sacking a head coach and his collaborators can be a costly affair.

But luckily for the Premier League giants, Carrick’s departure wouldn’t impoverish them.

First, it must be noted that the former midfielder has a relatively low salary compared to some of his EPL colleagues, as his estimated gross salary is £5 million per year.

Moreover, English journalist Ben Jacobs revealed during his Friday appearance on the United Stand that United had added an important clause when they signed a permanent contract with Carrick at the end of last season.

While the manager’s current deal is valid until June 2028, he will only be entitled to receive his salary for the rest of the 2026/27 season should the club decide to sack him this term.

Is Carrick’s sacking inevitable?

Thanks to the aforementioned clause, Man Utd wouldn’t have to spend a fortune on a managerial change, even though the next manager would surely command a larger salary, as we expect the club to go for someone with a more prolific resume than Carrick’s.

But contractual clauses aside, INEOS should focus on the bigger picture, as a disastrous campaign will be more costly, on sporting and financial levels, than a managerial change.

So if the team continues to struggle under Carrick, changing managers will become inescapable, even if the 45-year-old remains a popular figure at Old Trafford.

The main candidates to replace the under-fire coach are Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann, and Antonio Conte.