Manchester United has set the date to renew the contract of their new star with a weekly wage of £100,000! Carrick refuses to loan out the defensive midfielder, aiming to build a youth academy flagship.

Manchester United is preparing to negotiate a new contract with 20-year-old academy graduate Coby Mené, aiming to finalize terms by the end of this season. Despite several talks over the last two years, disagreements over pay and role stalled progress. Mené was nearly set to depart, but his future turned around following Carrick’s appointment as coach.

Mené rose to prominence under Ten Hag, scoring in the FA Cup final and earning a spot on the England national team, even starting in the Euro final. At that time, his agent demanded a weekly wage of £200,000, which Manchester United declined, leading to a stalemate in negotiations. Additionally, Ruben Amorin sidelined him, prompting Mené to consider leaving.

Since Carrick took over, Mené has started and played full matches against Manchester City, Arsenal, and Fulham. The club intends to reopen contract talks and hopes to reach an agreement smoothly. Manchester United has informed Mené that even during Amorin’s tenure, the club never planned to sell him.

Mené signed his current contract in 2023 when he was 17, placing him at the lowest pay scale among first-team players. However, if he continues to perform well as he has under Carrick, he can earn substantial bonuses, with weekly earnings ranging between £50,000 and £80,000.

Mené’s contract has one year remaining, with the club holding an option to extend it by another year. However, Manchester United aims to offer him a long-term deal that better reflects his status. This was impossible under Amorin as it would undermine the manager’s authority, but the situation has changed under Carrick. Reports suggest United plans to offer Mené a £100,000 weekly salary plus performance-based bonuses, allowing him to earn more through his displays.

According to British media, Manchester United rejected a last-minute winter loan opportunity for former Leicester defensive midfielder Ndidi because Carrick wants to develop Mené as the flagship academy player. Currently, Mené is the only member of the first team from the Carrington academy. At the Munich air disaster’s 68th anniversary event on Friday, Carrick expressed hope that Mené will inspire more academy players to emerge.

On February 6, 1958, eight Manchester United players lost their lives in the Munich air disaster; seven of them were homegrown talents known as the first generation of the "Busby Babes." Nowadays, academy players in the first team are rare; besides Mené, only 18-year-old Shea Lacey might make the bench after scoring a hat-trick in this week’s reserve match.

Carrick has known Mené since he was 13, back when Carrick was training for his coaching badges and interning at the academy. Carrick said, "Given my understanding of Coby and his contributions to the team, I believe reintegrating him into the squad is the right move. I think he will bring a lot to the team. From the club’s perspective, the ideal scenario is for players to develop through the academy, join the first team, and spend their entire careers here."

During Carrick’s playing days, many of his Manchester United teammates followed this path, including Gary Neville, Scholes, and Giggs. "I consider myself lucky to have worked with many players who achieved this, and I think it’s very important," Carrick said. "Obviously, the Munich tragedy and the club’s foundation have shaped all of this."

Looking ahead, Carrick stated, "I won’t place all the responsibility on Coby’s shoulders. He is performing excellently right now, and I trust he can maintain it, but we want more players to grow through this system and join the first team. In my view, nothing is more rewarding than giving young players a chance. In recent weeks, Coby has seized the opportunity, and I believe he will continue to do so."