Carrick makes decision on Mason Mount future after Man Utd contract clause activated | OneFootball

Michael Carrick believes Mason Mount still has a key role to play for Manchester United after Champions League qualification activated a clause in the playmaker’s contract to make him “unsellable”.

Mount joined United from Chelsea for £55m in the summer of 2023 and has endured an injury-hit three seasons at Old Trafford which has seen him make only 72 appearances for the Red Devils.

He’s registered just seven goals and two assists in that time and has featured for 203 minutes across seven appearances under Carrick.

Mount’s injury record and lack of game time has led to suggestions he could be sold this summer with two years left to run on his deal, though that could prove difficult after a clause in his contract – along with those of many of his teammates – will see his salary rise by 25 per cent after they qualified for the Champions League.

According to Capology, Mount earned £150,000 per week this season, so looks set to land £187,500 per week next term; a wage which would surely put off many suitors should United look to sell him.

But Carrick is of a mind to keep the Chelsea academy graduate in any case, according to The Athletic, who claim the new permanent boss believes Mount’s ‘positional flexibility’ will be ‘beneficial to his squad heading into a campaign of four competitions’.

The report adds:

Mount an ‘unsellable’ asset

Carrick’s stance is good news for United in the eyes of former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, who told Football Insider that Mount’s wage increase (he claims he’s set to earn £250,000 per week) would make the Englishman “unsellable”.

He said: “This would have been a mistake in the contract that was done when Mount was bought.

“And certainly, if they had a clause in there that said if the Champions League was secured, then he would go up to £250,000 a week, then that makes Mount almost unsellable given his performances.

“He’s certainly shown some glimmers of coming back, but nowhere near the Mason Mount that we saw who was an exciting player at Chelsea. And he’s got a lot to come back.

“Now, hopefully Carrick can get the best out of him next year, because if he doesn’t, he’s almost unsellable at that level, and he’ll be sitting out his contract.”