Michael Carrick 'lost the plot' at Middlesbrough over Derby County transfer decision | OneFootball

The now-Manchester United boss let one very experienced Championship defender join the Rams for basically nothing

Middlesbrough fans are still scratching their heads over one transfer decision Michael Carrick made, and it involves Derby County.

In truth, Carrick’s tenure on Teesside promised much but ultimately fell short of delivering promotion to the Premier League.

Taking over in October 2022 when they sat very close to the Championship relegation zone - in 21st - the-now Manchester United boss steered Boro to a fourth-place finish in his debut season.

Yet after missing out on the top six in his subsequent two campaigns, Carrick was sacked in June 2025.

The transfer decision in question happened in January that year...

Michael Carrick's controversial Middlesbrough transfer decision involving Derby County

Said transfer decision, which is now viewed by many Boro fans as a huge error, revolves around allowing Matt Clarke to join Derby County on loan with practically an option to buy. The transfer fee was reported as undisclosed, but it can't have been that much at all.

At the time, Carrick defended the transfer as mutually beneficial, telling TeessideLive, “It was the right thing all-round.

"Clarkey wanted to play games so we respected that. He's been fantastic since I've been here. When I first came in he'd come through his long spell on the sidelines and since then he's not missed a day's training really."

In his initial loan spell from Boro at Pride Park, which marked his third stint at Derby after two previous loans from Brighton, he played a crucial part in keeping the club up.

Clarke featured in 15 of Derby’s last 17 games of 24/25, as opposed to the 14 appearances for Middlesbrough earlier in that season.

This season, though, the 29-year-old became only the fourth player in the Rams’ history to win the Jack Stamps Player of the Season award twice, collecting it again at their End of Season Awards Dinner.

He was also voted Players' Player of the Season, which led to some Boro fans questioning Carrick's original decision to let him leave the Riverside.

Michael Carrick 'lost the plot' letting Matt Clarke join Derby County

Middlesbrough supporters' frustration was evident on social media following Derby County's announcement of Clarke's double accolade, with fans quote-tweeting the post to vent their disbelief at Carrick's aforementioned judgment.

The most-liked 'quote tweet' declared, "Carrick completely lost the plot in that final season."

Another said, “We dropped him and made him want to leave for GEORGE EDMUNDSON.” It’s worth a reminder that Edmundson has only started three league games for Boro this campaign, while Clarke has 44 to his name at Derby, disregarding the final day of the season.

In Derby’s replies, one Boro fan put a classy message whilst also reiterating his disbelief at Carrick, saying, "Well done Clarkey. What were we thinking letting him go for pennies. Top defender and top guy."

As for Derby fans, well one said that Clarke has been one of their best signings in a "decade."

Middlesbrough on a sour note, but if Michael Carrick had not made the decision to basically replace 'Baldini' with Edmundson, then he wouldn’t have wanted to leave in the first place.