Carrick reveals he was desperate to leave Tottenham the moment Manchester United came calling

Michael Carrick has described his 2006 move from Tottenham Hotspur to Manchester United as an immediate certainty, saying he never had any doubt once Sir Alex Ferguson’s club registered their interest.

“I was desperate to come. It was a no-brainer for me as soon as I found out Manchester United were interested,” Carrick recalled. “The first time I spoke to the manager was on the phone when the move was all sorted. I’ve never been so nervous about getting a call in my life.”

Carrick was on international duty with England at the 2006 World Cup when word reached him that United wanted to sign him. Despite having spent only two years at White Hart Lane, he needed no persuasion.

His time at Spurs had, in fact, started awkwardly. Carrick arrived under Jacques Santini, a manager who had played no part in recruiting him and made little effort to hide his indifference. It was sporting director Frank Arnesen who pushed the deal through over his head.

“I spoke with Michael about how he has to play, knowing that our coach was not so fond of it,” Arnesen later explained. “He was not very happy about it. I said listen, he’s a very good player. I told him I was absolutely sure he would like him, but he said, ‘I don’t really think I need him’.”

Carrick sensed the frosty reception the moment he walked into Santini’s office. “I don’t think he really knew who I was,” Carrick said. “I remember coming out and speaking to my agent, thinking he didn’t know who I was, did he? And he said, ‘I’m glad you said that, because I thought the same thing.’ It was a funny start, being in the reserves for three months and not kicking a ball.”

The arrival of Martin Jol as Santini’s replacement transformed Carrick’s fortunes at the club. Jol recalled turning to Carrick during a difficult half-time at 2-0 down, and watching him change the game single-handedly. “He went past three or four men. He never used frills too much. He kept it simple. And I thought I had to play this guy,” Jol said.

With regular football under Jol, Carrick flourished and grew to love his time in north London — but the pull of Old Trafford ultimately proved irresistible. He went on to spend 12 years at Manchester United, winning five Premier League titles, the Champions League, and becoming one of the most decorated midfielders of his generation.