Jose Mourinho has suggested that he could bring Michael Carrick's time at Manchester United to an end as he is too old to be given a new contract.
The 34-cap England international, who turns 36 later this year, has been used 11 times for the Red Devils in the Premier League this season.
Carrick, yet to be on the losing side in the top flight under Mourinho, looked to have performed well enough to trigger a one-year extension in his contract to keep him at Old Trafford until the end of 2017-18.
That no longer appears to be the case, however, with Mourinho hinting that no new deal will be offered to the experienced central midfielder.
"Let's be honest - I have seen many positives in Carrick," he told reporters. "But I cannot go to his identity card and delete five years. Michael is not 30."
Carrick joined United from Tottenham Hotspur in 2006 and has gone on to make more than 400 competitive appearances for the club.
Daniel Lewis
