Michael Carrick has only just stepped into the role of Manchester United interim head coach, but he is already facing a serious problem that could cost the club millions. It is not just about tactics or winning matches. It is about one contract clause, one veteran midfielder, and one decision that could echo far beyond this season.
Casemiro is at the center of this growing headache. The experienced Brazilian midfielder is now 33 years old and is approaching the final months of his Manchester United contract. On the surface, the situation looks simple. His deal expires in the summer. But hidden inside that contract is a clause that changes everything.
Reports suggest Casemiro’s original contract included an option for an extra year. When he joined United in 2023, his wages were worth around £350,000 per week. That made him one of the highest-paid players at the club. However, after United failed to qualify for the Champions League, his weekly salary dropped to below £300,000.
Now comes the complicated part. There is said to be an automatic extension clause in Casemiro’s contract. If triggered, it would extend his stay by another year and return his wages to the full £350,000 per week. Over a season, that would cost Manchester United around £19.5 million.
The clause is believed to activate if Casemiro starts 35 games in all competitions during the 2025/26 season. That target once looked realistic. But things have changed quickly for United.
The club is already out of both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup. There is also no European football this season. This means far fewer matches remain on the calendar. As a result, Casemiro now needs to start every single remaining Premier League game to reach the required number.
This is where Michael Carrick’s dilemma becomes serious. Casemiro has been a regular starter in the league whenever he has been available. In fact, he has started all but one Premier League game this season. That one exception was the heavy 3-0 defeat to Manchester City back in September.
Casemiro is expected to return to the starting lineup for the Manchester derby this afternoon. He was only on the bench against Brighton in the FA Cup last week, but his importance to the team remains clear.
Carrick must now decide whether to keep playing one of his most experienced midfielders or protect the club’s finances. If Casemiro continues to start every league match, the clause could be triggered automatically. That would make it much harder for United to let him leave in the summer.
If Casemiro leaves when his current deal ends, Manchester United could save £19.5 million in wages. For a club under pressure to rebuild, balance the books, and invest in younger players, that is a huge amount of money.
However, avoiding the clause is not easy. Carrick would need to drop Casemiro for at least one Premier League match. That is something that has not happened since September when the midfielder has been fit and available.
There is also the football side of the decision. Carrick is trying to stabilize the team, restore confidence, and deliver results in a difficult period. Leaving out a senior leader like Casemiro could carry risks on the pitch, especially in big games.
This is where Kobbie Mainoo enters the picture. The talented academy graduate has recently returned to fitness and is eager for more minutes. Under former manager Ruben Amorim, Mainoo slipped down the pecking order and struggled for consistent game time.
That lack of minutes even led to rumors linking Mainoo with a possible move away during the January transfer window. However, Amorim’s dismissal may have changed everything for the young midfielder.
With Carrick now in charge, Mainoo has a fresh opportunity to impress. He fits the profile of a player the club wants to build around: young, hungry, and developed from within.
Giving Mainoo more starts could solve multiple problems at once. It would help his development, reduce Casemiro’s game count, and potentially prevent the costly contract extension from being triggered.
For Carrick, the challenge is balancing short-term performance with long-term planning. Every team selection now carries financial consequences as well as football ones.
Casemiro’s future at Old Trafford looks uncertain. He is widely expected to leave at the end of his contract. But if the clause is activated, that exit becomes far more complicated and expensive.
The coming weeks will reveal how Carrick handles this delicate situation. One start, one benching, or one injury could decide whether Manchester United save £19.5 million or commit to another year of huge wages.
What looks like a simple team selection is, in reality, one of the most important decisions of Carrick’s interim reign.
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