Carrick Confirms Summer Retirement

Manchester United captain Michael Carrick has confirmed he is to retire at the end of the season.

Jose Mourinho has already suggested the 36-year-old will be hanging up his boots, calling time on a marvellous playing career, but the Reds midfielder has now clarified this will be the case.

Carrick is to be offered a place on the manager's coaching staff but he would only say that is a "likely" option at the moment.

"I think it's pretty much already been said, to be honest with you," he replied when asked whether he was retiring. "There comes a time when, as much as you like or don't like it, your body tells you it's time to stop playing football. That's pretty much where I'm at, which is fine. It's something you have to accept. That's where I'm at."

When asked whether he would be joining Jose's backroom team, he said: "Yes. It's kind of been sorted out. We're still talking about it, to be honest, so there's nothing totally confirmed as yet. But it's looking likely, yes."

The classy playmaker arrived at the club from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2006 and was awarded a testimonial last year, in recognition of his magnificent service to the Reds. He still hopes to play a part in the run-in after recovering fully from a heart problem earlier in the season.

"Obviously, I had the problem in the Burton game, when it started during the second half, and then had a few tests after that," he revealed at a press conference at Old Trafford previewing the Sevilla game on Tuesday in the Champions League.

"The same problem came back on the Sunday of that week in training, so then I had the procedure the following week, which I went through and now it's totally fine and I'm clear. It took a little bit of time to get over but there were some times when, for two or three days, I was thinking 'am I going to carry on playing or not?' or 'is it kind of worth it or not?' but that quickly passed.

"I got back fit and I wanted to finish on my own terms really. At least I could decide and not be forced because of that, so I was determined to get back fit. I understood after getting back fit that I wouldn't be playing as many games as perhaps I might have done, but that's something that I understood. I've just been training hard and trying to keep fit and have managed to play a few games so far and we'll see what happens towards the end of the season."