New Manchester United interim boss Michael Carrick has been handed a dilemma over midfielder Casemiro between now and the end of the season, with a reported extension clause in his contract emerging. The 33-year-old is out of contract in the summer, but the deal has an option for another year.

The Daily Mail report that Casemiro’s deal was worth £350,000 per week when he signed for the club in 2023. Failure to qualify for the Champions League has, however, seen his wages drop to under £300,000 per week.

However, it is reported that there is a clause in the player’s contract that could see his deal automatically extended by a year. The further year would see him restored to his original £350,000 a week wage.

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It’s said that the clause is triggered if Casemiro starts 35 games in all competitions throughout the 2025/26 season. United’s early exit from both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, as well as their lack of European football this year, means that games are running out for that to happen.

In fact, Casemiro would need to start every Premier League game between now and the end of the season for the threshold to be reached.

The midfielder is expected to be back in the starting XI in this afternoon’s Manchester derby, having been named on the bench against Brighton in the FA Cup last week.

The midfielder has been a regular in United’s starting line-up in the Premier League this season. Of the games he has been available, he’s started all but one, with the one being a 3-0 loss against Man City back in September.

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Carrick now has a decision to make over Casemiro. The midfielder is expected to leave United at the end of his contract, and letting him leave would save the club £19.5million in wages.

But, to avoid triggering the reported clause in his contract and make an exit much easier, the interim head coach will have to leave him out of the starting line-up for one of the remaining Premier League games. That's something that's not happened since September when the midfielder has been available.

The return to fitness of Kobbie Mainoo could make the situation easier to handle. The academy graduate is desperate for more game time, having fallen down the pecking order underRuben Amorim.

He has been linked with a move away from the club in the January transfer window amid his lack of game time. But the dismissal of Amorim could change that.

Mainoo will now be looking to impress Carrick and could be given more of a chance by the interim boss between now and the end of the season. The midfielder could potentially take Casemiro's place in the starting line-up, and therefore avoid the clause being triggered.

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